Silver Legend
by Toxic PhlameZ
Summary: Stormkit is a cat that his whole clan despises. His only friend is a she-cat named Featherheart. That is, until their leader, Tornstar, takes interest in him. Tornstar insists his interest in Stormkit is genuine, but Featherheart believes otherwise. Just what are Tornstar's true intentions for Stormkit, and what about Stormkit's past lead to his clan's hatred? *COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

A Broken Shell

Chapter One

"Get away from me, you monster!" Tornstar growled, lashing out at a tiny kit. The kit ducked swiftly, Tornstar's claws sailing above his head. The kit then turned tail and ran to the nursery. He was met with more snarls and lashing claws, a claw catching his ear. Blood began to flow from the wound, and the kit turned and ran again, this time through the clan entrance. _Why does everyone hate me so much? _The kit wondered. As far as he knew, he'd done nothing wrong. All he wanted was for someone to treat him nicely; was that too much to ask?

A little way into the forest, the kit slammed into something and fell backwards. Looking up, his eyes widened in dismay as a light brown tabby she-cat stood in front of him. Closing his eyes, the kit braced himself for claws to rake down his pelt.

"You're a long way from home, aren't you?" The she-cat spoke, her voice soft and smooth like honey. "What are you doing so far from camp?"

Hesitantly, the kit opened his eyes. The cat was sitting, washing her pelt. As the kit stepped backwards, she turned her icy blue gaze on him. She reached a white paw towards the kit, and he stepped back even farther.

"I won't hurt you." She mewed. Lightly she flicked the kit's ear with her paw, noticing the scratch on it. "What's your name?"

"I'm Stormkit." The tiny cat replied, confusion in his eyes. Wasn't this cat going to claw him?

"I'm Featherheart." The she-cat replied. "I see your ear was scratched. Let's take you to the medicine den."

Stormkit hesitated. The thought of going back into the camp sent fear through his body, and he shrank to the ground. He knew as soon as he crossed the entrance he'd be met with glinting claws and bared teeth.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Featherheart mewed, seeing the reluctance in his eyes. She knew the clan was treating him badly, but she was against it. The clan was just superstitious, they believed anything they were told. After all, what could this tiny bundle of fur do?

Featherheart took the lead, with Stormkit following cautiously behind her. As they entered the camp, they were met with furious hisses and menacing growls. A cat broke from the crowd and stalked malevolently toward Stormkit, his claws unsheathed and teeth bared.

"Lay one claw on that kit and I'll _flay_ you!" Featherheart snarled, her tail lashing and pelt bristling.

The tom let out a furious hiss, but backed away with a flick of his tail. Featherheart continued heading for the medicine den, and Stormkit followed. Fierce growls followed them all the way there, and Stormkit didn't feel safe until the ivy vines to the medicine den engulfed them.

Featherheart sat with her tail wrapped around her paws, with Stormkit cowering behind her. The medicine den was warm, with cats lying on the grass bearing injuries of all kinds. A white tom was sitting a few fox-lengths from Stormkit, a huge gash in his shoulder. A ginger she-cat was asleep next to Featherheart with a slice in her ear.

"Go on, Stormkit," Featherheart insisted, "it'll be fine." The warm look she gave Stormkit reassured him, and he padded forward.

As Stormkit weaved around the injured bodies, he brushed against a silver she-cat. She turned, and the scowl she shot him carried so much hatred he shrank back.

"You're lucky I wrenched my claws, otherwise you'd be crowfood." She hissed silently, only loud enough for Stormkit to hear.

Stormkit hastily trotted away, ignoring the growls that followed him. Once through the knot of cats, he saw a she-cat with a silver pelt and long, thick black stripes crisscrossing her body. He prodded her in the side, and when she turned and saw him, her eyes burned with rage.

"What are you doing here?!" She snarled, unsheathing her claws. She dropped into a crouch, and Stormkit tensed, preparing to be attacked.

Suddenly a pelt flashed in front of Stormkit. Opening his eyes, he saw Featherheart blocking the path between him and the medicine cat. Her fur was bristling, and anger was coming off her in powerful waves.

"Featherheart, what are you doing?" The medicine cat hissed, clearly confused. She tried to get around Featherheart, but Featherheart moved with her.

"You're not hurting that kit, Cloudheart!" Featherheart snarled, lashing her tail. "For StarClan's sake, you're a medicine cat! Show some compassion, he's done nothing wrong. You need to help him."

"_Help_ him?" Cloudheart's mew was outraged, and her eyes were brimming with disbelief. "Help that heap of fox dung?!" Her tail was lashing furiously side to side, and her words were dripping with hatred. "Spiders have spun webs in your head if you'll think I'll do that."

Featherheart sprung on top of Cloudheart, raking her hind claws along her spine. Cloudheart tried to fight back, but before long Featherheart had her pinned, her jaws gripped Cloudheart's scruff tightly, her paws pressing hard against her back, claws digging into her flesh.

"You _will _help that kit, or you'll be treating yourself for a broken leg!" Featherheart snarled, digging her claws deeper into Cloudheart's back, slowly tearing them through her flesh.

Cloudheart let out a yowl, and she began gasping in agony. "Fine, I'll do it!" She hissed, a trace of fear in her eyes. "I'll treat him, but then I want him out of here!"

Featherheart relaxed, and let Cloudheart up. Cloudheart disappeared behind a screen of brambles, and came back a few heartbeats later with a poultice in her jaws. She began applying the mush to Stormkit's ear, but the ointment made his ear sting. Stormkit struggled, but Cloudheart pinned him down, paws pressing hard on his spine. Once she was finished, she pushed a couple of seeds near him.

"Eat these," she mewed grudgingly, "they'll help with the pain."

Stormkit lapped up the seeds, and after a few moments he curled into a ball and sank into sleep.

Stormkit woke drowsily, jaws gaping in an enormous yawn. Something soft grazed his fur, and he looked up. He was lying in the curve of Featherheart's stomach, her chest rising and falling in slow, deep breaths. Looking around, Stormkit gazed in astonishment. Instead of the nursery, they were in the midst of the forest, leaves trailing down from the tops of trees. A cold breeze swept over Stormkit, and he shivered, nuzzling closer to Featherheart. Featherheart stirred and woke, her warm blue gaze falling upon Stormkit.

"I see you're up." She mewed, licking him affectionately between the ears. Her eyes fell upon his torn ear, and they blazed with a blue fire. "I'm sorry about the clan. They just need to realize… I mean, it's not your fault…" Her voice trailed off, and she wouldn't meet Stormkit's eyes.

"Why does the clan hate me?" Stormkit squeaked. The question had crossed his mind many times, but he couldn't bring himself to figure out what he'd done. As far as he was concerned, he was innocent. Why _did_ everyone hate him?

"It's complicated." Featherheart muttered, grooming Stormkit with slow, gentle rasps of her tongue. "I'll tell you when you're older."

Stormkit lashed his tail, annoyance pricking his pelt. He thought he deserved to know now. He'd put up with nothing but hostility his whole life. The self-hatred, the desperation to be loved, the fear that each day he woke would be his last. Suddenly another crossed his mind: why were they out here?

"Featherheart…" Stormkit mewed, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Why are we out here, and not in the nursery?"

Featherheart let out a long sigh before answering. "Tornstar said that if I was to care for you, I could sleep out here with you." Her eyes flashed with anger again, and Stormkit shuffled backwards. He didn't like Featherheart suffering because of him. Having someone care for him felt nice, but he couldn't let another cat struggle because of him.

"I'm sorry, Featherheart." Stormkit mewed, deep regret in his voice. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I don't want you getting hurt trying to care for me."

Featherheart's eyes turned cold, and as she spoke her voice was stern. "Stormkit, listen. I don't want you trying to convincing me out of this. I made my choice, and I'm sticking to it, understand?"

Stormkit nodded, feeling warmed by Featherheart's devotion to him. He nuzzled even closer to her, enjoying the softness of her pelt. He'd never felt anything like this, to have someone actually care for him… The thought of it almost sent tears streaming down his cheeks. He was so used to hatred and ridicule, Featherheart was like a cat that had descended from StarClan.

"Alright, time to go back to camp. Stay behind me, okay?" Although her mew seemed calm, Stormkit could see the fear in her eyes. They were going blindly into camp, completely unguarded. Featherheart could take a couple of warriors, but she'd be no match for the whole clan.

Stormkit and Featherheart padded swiftly through the forest, skirting around bushes and trees. The sky was a beautiful pink, with a light blue tinge. Stormkit wondered if this was a good sign; that today would be a good day. I small hope rose inside Stormkit, and he prayed to StarClan; _please let this be a good day_.

As the two cats entered the camp, all hope was shattered as countless cats leaped on top of them. A smoky gray she-cat raked her claws down Stormkit's flank, and he howled in pain. A white tom took her place, and Stormkit was flung across the clearing, landing against a rock with a dreadful thud. Casting a glance at Featherheart, Stormkit gasped in horror. Featherheart was no more than a lump of fur beneath a mass of cats. She fought furiously, but she was no match against her clanmates. A dark brown tom pinned Featherheart, his claws glinting close to her face and teeth tearing into her chest.

"I'll teach you to favor that piece of filth!" He snarled, slashing his claws across Featherheart's face.

"Stop it! Please!" Stormkit yowled, unable to see his friend in such pain. "You're hurting her!" He hardly had time to move before another cat was upon him. Whimpering in fear, Stormkit tried to back away, but only felt the rock he slammed into come up behind him. A dismayed look on his face, Stormkit closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

The cat's teeth tore into Stormkit's scruff, and he was hauled off the ground, helplessly flailing his paws. The attacker, a black she-cat with white paws, then slammed him to the ground. Pain shot through Stormkit's ribs on the impact, and he let out a wail. He was lifted again, and this time the she-cat dropped him, letting him fall. But before he could hit the ground, claws ripped into his stomach, and he was sent skidding in the dirt.

Agony was throbbing along Stormkit's belly, and his whole body felt as if it were on fire. Stormkit squinted his eyes, it seemed to him that the clearing was warping and swaying beneath him. All hope drained from his paws as Stormkit saw yet another cat advancing on him. He didn't protest, or try to move, he simply let out a weak, feeble groan. _Goodbye, Featherheart_, Stormkit thought, _I'll miss you… _Suddenly the thought of death didn't seem too bad to him. _At least I won't have to deal with this torture anymore…_

Suddenly Featherheart came crashing into the cat, knocking her over. She then sprang next to Stormkit, defiance in her eyes. Her pelt was horribly scratched, blood staining her beautiful fur, and there were bite marks all over her legs and paws, but still her eyes blazed. Multiple cats were approaching, and Featherheart crouched protectively over Stormkit, snarling.

"Enough." Came a voice, and Stormkit slowly looked up. Tornstar was approaching, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. "Let them live." He mewed, swiping his tongue across his jaws as if Stormkit and Featherheart were juicy pieces of prey. "I want them to suffer a little longer."

A few cats let out hisses of frustration, but backed away, leaving a gap for Stormkit and Featherheart to pass. Stormkit was too weak to move, let alone stand, and Featherheart picked him up gently and they headed towards the medicine den, Tornstar following them.

The place was empty, no injured cats lying around. Cloudheart was sitting near the entrance, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws.

"Cloudheart, give these two something for their wounds, would you please?" Tornstar mewed, his voice dripping with mock worry.

"Of course, Tornstar," Cloudheart meowed. Her voice held such sweetness it made Stormkit sick. _The clan must have arranged this whole thing._ Stormkit thought in horror.

Once the medicine cat had treated them, Stormkit and Featherheart settled down in two nests, fresh-kill waiting for them. Stormkit was confused; why was Tornstar being so friendly all of a sudden? He glanced at Featherheart, and saw his astonishment in her eyes as well.

"Do eat up now," Tornstar purred, his voice like silk, "we have special plans for you tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Stormkit woke sleepily, blinking the drowsiness from his eyes. Featherheart was sleeping a few tail-lengths away from him, her chest rising and falling as she breathed deeply. Stretching his legs and letting out a yawn, Stormkit padded out of the medicine den.

Cloudheart and Tornstar were sitting near the entrance, deep in conversation. When Cloudheart saw him, she let out a growl.

"You're awake." She meowed disappointedly, as if she wanted him to sleep and never wake up.

"Now, now, Cloudheart," Tornstar purred, his gaze on Stormkit, "you shouldn't act so rude." There was something about his voice, the way he was looking at Stormkit, which made his pelt ripple with fear. "I hope you're ready for what we have scheduled for you." He purred silkily. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the tallbranch for a clan meeting!" He shouted, springing into the massive tree and laying on the lowest branch.

Cats began to pad sleepily out of there dens, shaking their pelts and stretching their legs. Featherheart came out of the medicine den, a worried look in her eyes, which flooded with relief as she saw Stormkit. A few moments later all cats were gathered, looking expectantly at Tornstar.

"I have gathered you here today for an overdo apprenticeship." He mewed icily, his gaze falling on Stormkit. "Stormkit, please step forward."

Surprise washed over Stormkit, and he glanced at Featherheart, her expression reflecting his. Although a little over six moons, Stormkit hadn't thought he'd become an apprentice. Who would be his mentor? The only cat in the clan that liked him was Featherheart… What if Featherheart was his mentor? The thought excited Stormkit so much it made him shake. But then he realized something: _none of the cats were protesting._

_Something is wrong._ Stormkit thought. He padded cautiously forward, waiting for cats to lash at him, but it never came. Looking closer, Stormkit saw that his clanmates claws were _sheathed. _There were no growls, no snarls, not even a menacing stare. They all just watched him with icy calmness.

Stormkit pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. This was his apprentice ceremony! He should be happy! No other cat liked him but Featherheart, so she _must_ be his mentor. Reaching the tallbranch, Tornstar had jumped down while Stormkit was padding forward, Stormkit sat, his pelt itching with unease.

"Stormkit," Tornstar began, "you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice." His words chilled Stormkit, rather then excited him. "Until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stormpaw."

Stormpaw looked expectantly at Featherheart, but her gaze was uneasy. Featherheart would be his mentor! But as Tornstar spoke, his next words slammed into Stormpaw like brambles.

"I will be your mentor."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, it is owned by Erin Hunter. I also do not have any affiliation with Erin Hunter. All I own are the characters and the plot.**

Chapter Three

"_What?!_" Featherheart exclaimed, while Stormpaw just crouched with fear coursing through him. _Tornstar _was to be his mentor? The thought alone sent chills through Stormpaw's body, and he crouched even lower.

"This meeting is at an end." Tornstar purred, staring at Stormkit as if he were a juicy piece of prey.

Stormpaw felt as if the world was rocking beneath him. _How could this happen?_ He wondered. What could Tornstar possibly gain by being his mentor? He wanted to call out to someone, but cats were already dispersing.

"Tornstar, what is this?" Featherheart asked as she approached. Anger burned in her eyes, but Stormpaw could see fear in their blue depths. "First, you don't give two mouse tails about Stormpaw, and now you want to be his _mentor_?!"

"Precisely, Featherheart," Tornstar meowed, "I know I didn't pay much attention to him before. But that's why I appointed myself as his mentor; I want to get to know him better."

"Liar," Featherheart hissed, "I'm coming with you."

"No, you will stay here." Tornstar explained. "Hollyfur has some jobs for you to complete here."

"You fox-heart," Featherheart snarled. "You've been planning this."

"You had better watch your tone," Tornstar meowed, an edge to his voice. "You wouldn't want a repeat of yesterday, now would you?"

Featherheart let out a furious hiss, but backed away hesitantly. Stormpaw could see the defiance in her eyes, but she knew Tornstar was serious. Stormpaw cast a desperate glance at her. _Don't leave me! _He wailed inwardly. What kind of training would Tornstar put him through? The thought worried him.

"Oh, one more thing," Tornstar added. "If you try to follow us, I'll kill him."

Featherheart growled, her eyes glaring malevolently at Tornstar. She turned around, heading towards Hollyfur, who was giving out orders to patrols. Stormpaw watched her go, dismay clenching his stomach.

"Training. Now." Tornstar growled. "Follow me."

Stormpaw had no choice but to obey. He followed Tornstar through the camp entrance, the brambles tugging at his fur. His pelt creeping with dread, the last thing he saw was Featherheart's worried look before the bramble screen swallowed him.

"Sit," Tornstar commanded. His brown pelt glimmered in the sun, and Stormpaw could see scars crisscrossing his body. His muzzle was scarred, and his green eyes stared menacingly at Stormpaw. Stormpaw obeyed, finding a shady spot near a bush.

"I suspect you wanted Featherheart as a mentor," Tornstar mewed, his eyes staring deep into Stormpaw's. "Do you know why I chose myself instead?"

Stormpaw shook his head, worry nagging him. What was Tornstar getting at? Sure, he wanted Featherheart as a mentor, but why was that so important? He stared curiously at his mentor, impatiently working his claws into the ground. He wanted to get today's training over with so he could go back to Featherheart.

"Personally, I think she's too soft on you," Tornstar snarled, his voice thick with hatred. "Even her name sounds soft." He scoffed. "But that's where I come in. Interacting with me will be different." He began pacing, lashing his tail as he went. "Right now, you're filth, weak. You hardly put up a fight yesterday, it was pathetic. But I can make you fierce, the strongest and most vicious cat in the forest."

Stormpaw cocked his head, listening intently. Tornstar's words had stung, but his offering did sound tempting. Tornstar could make him strong, he wouldn't be so weak, he could stand up for himself… The thought made Stormpaw's claws tingle, as if he were slashing them through an enemy's flesh.

"You'll have to work hard," Tornstar continued. "Your training will brutal, and harsh. But before we begin, I have rules, and you _will_ follow them." He'd stopped pacing, and was now lying in the grass, flexing his claws. "Rule one: you do what I say, when I say. No back-talking, no muttering under your breath. I have my methods, and you will not question them. Rule two: you only speak when I say so. If I ask a question, you answer with 'yes, Tornstar' or 'no, Tornstar', no shaking your head, I find it disrespectful. Rule three: you will answer to _me_ and me _only_. I'm in charge of your training, no one else, understand?"

"Yes, Tornstar," Stormkit gulped.

"Good. Break _any_ of these rules, in _any_ way… Simple, you get clawed." Tornstar had started clawing at the grass to make his point, and Stormkit shivered at the deep gouges they made in the dirt. "Now, today's lesson," Tornstar mewed nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened. "Endurance…"

Stormpaw stood gasping for breath, his limbs shaking from exhaustion. He and Tornstar had been training from sunrise all the way into the late evening. Stormpaw was hungry, cold, and tired. Tornstar had been right; his training was brutal. His mentor preferred fighting with claws unsheathed, and as Stormpaw stood wheezing, his pelt was covered in scratches. There was a long, deep gash in his shoulder, with blood oozing slowly from the wound. His other ear was shredded, a slice traveling from the top to the middle, and a sideways slash at the bottom. His muzzle was scarred and bleeding, the red liquid soaking his whiskers.

Tornstar, however, only had a few deep scratches along his back and legs. In his mentor's eyes Stormpaw could see his thirst for blood. "You've done well today," he snarled. "Let's get back to camp."

Stormpaw followed him home, and as they entered the camp, Featherheart was waiting by the entrance. She gasped when she saw the condition Stormpaw was in.

"What did you do to him?" Featherheart sounded crestfallen. Her eyes burned with hatred as she glared at Tornstar, and she began licking Stormpaw along his wounds.

"The same thing I'll do to you if you don't leave him alone," Tornstar hissed. "He's fine; he doesn't need you looking after him."

"What do you mean, he's fine?" Featherheart growled. "He's soaked in blood, and his pelt is covered in scratches!" She continued to lap at Stormkit's wounds, trying to clean his pelt as she did so. "I don't care what you do to me, I'm looking after him."

Tornstar let out a furious hiss, and he unsheathed his claws. Seeing the look in his eyes, the look he gave Stormpaw during his training, made him shiver. He didn't want to see Featherheart suffer again, she was his best friend.

"It is okay, Featherheart," Stormpaw whispered. "I'll be fine." Featherheart looked as if she wanted to object, but she stepped to the side to let them pass. Stormpaw followed Tornstar to the medicine den, his shoulder throbbing with pain.

Once they reached the entrance, Tornstar poked his head through the screen of ivy. "Cloudheart, give Stormpaw something for his shoulder, nothing more."

Cloudheart came out after a few moments and applied an ointment to Stormpaw's shoulder. Once she was finished, she simply went back into her den with a flick of her tail. Licking his jaws, Stormpaw padded over to the fresh-kill pile, the thought of prey making his stomach rumble. But before he could pick something out, Tornstar intercepted him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tornstar snarled.

"I'm just getting some fresh-kill," Stormpaw breathed. His stomach felt tight with hunger, and he felt weak.

"No, you aren't permitted to eat tonight, and you're going to sleep outside the camp." Tornstar turned and padded toward his den, a squirrel in his jaws.

Stormpaw couldn't help but protest. "What? Why? It's the middle of leaf-bare!" He hardly had time to finish the last sentence before Tornstar clawed him across the face, blood dripping from the wound.

"You broke rule one," Tornstar growled. "You will sleep outside the camp and you're not allowed to eat, understand?"

"Yes, Tornstar," Stormpaw muttered, avoiding his mentor's gaze.

Tornstar headed for his den, with Stormpaw heading for the camp entrance. The cold gripped him, and he shivered. He found a place to sleep under a bush a little way from camp, and curled up to sleep.

"Wake up, Stormpaw," a voice snarled. Stormpaw blinked open his eyes groggily. It seemed as if he had hardly gotten any sleep, and when he tried to get up his legs trembled with exhaustion. Looking up, he saw that Tornstar was standing over him, a mouse in his jaws. _Food! _Stormpaw's breath grew quick with anticipation.

His heart sank as he saw Tornstar crouch down and tear into his prey. He stared at the mouse, but quickly looked away, anger burning inside of him. How dare he eat in front of him? Tornstar knew he was hungry, and yet he completely ignored him. Stormpaw's stomach growled, and he shrank away. Tornstar heard, and he looked up.

"I know you're hungry," he growled. "But that's being involved into today's training. If you do well, I may show mercy and let you eat." Tornstar finished his mouse and padded into a clearing, his claws unsheathed. "Part one of today's training; fighting through weakness. Attack me."

Stormpaw was so exhausted, he could hardly move. There were no words to describe how tired he was. He and Tornstar had been training relentlessly, his mentor pushing him hard. Stormpaw lay on the ground, bleeding into the dirt, feeling so hurt and tired it made him sick. He looked pleadingly at Tornstar, but saw no trace of pity.

"Please, Tornstar," Stormpaw begged. "I need to rest."

Tornstar glared at him, and there was no sympathy in his gaze. "Fine," he said, and Stormpaw let out a sigh of relief. "But if you rest, then you can't eat."

Stormpaw stared at Tornstar in disbelief. His mentor's words echoed in his ears. _If you rest, then you can't eat._ An intense hatred began to grow inside him, so much that it scared him. Why was Tornstar putting him through this; what did he want?

"It's simple," Tornstar explained, purring with satisfaction. "Either you eat, or rest, you can't have both." He swiped his tongue around his jaws, seemingly enjoying Stormpaw's suffering. "You decide which one is more important to you." His eyes narrowed, interested in what Stormpaw would choose.

Stormpaw pondered, focusing. Which should he choose? Right now, he wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep for a moon. But the thought of food sent shivers along his spine, and made his mouth water. Quickly he decided that food would be better.

"What do you want me to do next?" Stormpaw sighed.

"Excellent choice," Tornstar meowed happily. "You see that tree over there?" He flicked his tail toward a tall pine tree. "You're going to climb it. I'm going to get some prey." He licked his paw and drew it over his torn ear. "When I get back, we'll see how much you've progressed. How high you get determines how much prey you get to eat." He said no more, just padded off and disappeared into the bushes.

Stormpaw stared in dismay at the tall pine that stood before him. Its top snaked into the sky, branches quivering in the breeze. Staggering over to the tree, Stormpaw bunched his muscles and leaped, his mind rocking with pain as he did so. His claws sunk into the bark, and he began hauling himself up, his muscles screeching with agony. He found a branch to rest on, pausing for a few moments before moving on to the next. It was excruciating. Once he thought he was a considerable height, he rested on a branch and saw Tornstar pushing through a bush. He was carrying a rabbit, and when he saw Stormpaw his eyes widened in surprise.

"Impressive," Tornstar shouted; the approval was clear in his voice. "Now, I want you to jump."

Stormpaw couldn't believe his ears. Tornstar wanted him to _jump?! _He was insane! From up here his mentor looked like a pebble! But seeing the rabbit… Stormpaw could almost taste it on his tongue. Closing his eyes, he leaped. The wind was tugging at his fur, and Stormpaw opened his eyes, only to gasp in horror. The ground was rushing towards him at an incredible rate. Terror struck through him, and he let out a wail. As Stormpaw hit the ground, he expected his legs to break his fall, but he was so weak they collapsed beneath him. He skidded across the sandy floor, the impact knocking the wind from him, landing a few tail-lengths from Tornstar.

His mentor approached him, and for the first time Stormpaw thought he actually looked proud. Tornstar set the rabbit in front of Stormpaw, and had begun to wash his pelt. Stormpaw shakily sat up and begun tearing into his prey, strength returning to his paws. The rabbit was delicious, probably the best thing he had ever tasted; he was so hungry.

"Thank you, Tornstar," Stormpaw mewed in between gulps.

"Yes, well I do suppose you deserve it," his mentor growled grudgingly. He paused reluctantly before adding, "Look, Stormpaw, you've been working hard for the past few days, so I guess you can take the rest of the day off." He began padding in the direction of the camp, saying no more.

Stormpaw stared after his mentor in surprise. He could have the rest of the day off? The thought sounded amazing to him; to finally get some rest. But there was something inside him that didn't want him to stop. He wanted to keep training, to get stronger. Soon, with Tornstar's training, he'd get revenge on all the cats that ever wronged him! The thought made him growl deep in his throat, and he tore into the rabbit as if it were his enemy's flesh.

"Tornstar, wait," Stormpaw called, catching up to his mentor. "I don't want to stop, let's keep going. I want to train some more."

Tornstar turned around with a look of surprise, followed by understanding. "You're full of surprises today, aren't you Stormpaw?" His eyes shone with something, but Stormpaw couldn't figure out what. "Very well, we'll continue training." He began washing his torn pelt. "One more thing," he added, clawing Stormpaw on the back of his head. "You broke rule two."

**Hope you guys liked this chapter! Don't mean to spoil, but pay attention to when Stormpaw wants to keep training… Anyway, shout out to Dark Gambler for his support! Another shout out to storm-eyes-osprey for inspiring me to make this, check them out! Starting a new thing; first three commenters to a chapter get a shout out in the next! **

**Toxic out!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, it is owned by Erin Hunter. I also do not any affiliation with Erin Hunter. All I own are the characters and the plot.**

**It's come to my attention that FanFiction isn't spacing my paragraphs like I want. If you experienced in the other chapters transitions that made no sense, that's because time lapsed. From now on a (TL) will appear between paragraphs to mark a timelapse.**

Chapter 3

Stormpaw padded through the camp entrance, Tornstar by his side. The thorns tugged at Stormpaw's fur, and he gave an irritable snort as he forced his way through. He'd grown immensely in the past few moons; even surpassing Tornstar. He'd grown strong, with thick, hard muscles rippling beneath his pelt. It seemed that Tornstar's training kept getting more brutal and harsh, but Stormpaw was up for it. He'd do anything if it meant his clanmates would leave him alone.

He padded over to the warriors' den. He needed to see Featherheart; it'd been a while since they last talked. Pushing through the bramble screen, Stormpaw saw the she-cat washing her pelt.

"Hello, Featherheart," Stormpaw mewed; his voice had changed to a deep rumble.

"Stormpaw," Featherheart exclaimed happily. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Sorry," Stormpaw muttered, "Tornstar's been keeping me busy with training."

"I know," Featherheart growled. "What has he been doing to you?"

"He's not too bad," Stormpaw felt the need to defend his mentor. "He's been teaching me some very valuable techniques."

Featherheart looked as if she wanted to protest, but she simply nodded and got to her paws. "Let me go see if Hollyfur needs me to do anything." She sounded weird; there was an edge to her voice.

Confused, Stormpaw exited the den, looking for Tornstar. He found his mentor organizing patrols, warriors filing out of the camp entrance as he gave his orders. As he saw Stormpaw approaching, he welcomed him with a purr.

"Stormpaw," he meowed. "Ready for more training, I presume?"

"Yes, Tornstar," Stormpaw replied, swishing his tail in the dirt.

Tornstar gave a small huff. "And to think we just finished a session! Fresh off and back for more, I see." He began inspecting his claws, flexing them and scoring them into the dirt. "You may be a warrior yet, Stormpaw."

Stormpaw gave a huff of his own. He didn't care about compliments, what he _did_ care about was improving his skills. He got up and headed towards the entrance, but noticed that Tornstar wasn't following him. He turned around, confused. "Are you coming?" he asked.

"I would," Tornstar shrugged. "But there are jobs to be done." He lay in the grass, stretching his legs. "Why don't you come with me to patrol the BoulderClan border?"

Stormpaw gave an irritated snort. Who had time to check the border? He needed to train some more; he still had a move he needed work on.

"Fine," Stormpaw hissed. "But afterwards we're training."

"Of course, Stormpaw," Tornstar mewed, a glint in his eyes.

The two set off towards the border, snaking around trees and bushes. The sun was warming, turning leaves to a reddish-gold. Stormpaw breathed in the air, relishing at the scent of growth it carried. Leaf-bare was over and forgotten, with green-leaf coming soon.

Soon the two cats reached the border, leaving markers as they went. A strong wind buffeted Stormpaw's fur, but he fought against it. He and Tornstar were just about to leave when they heard furious yowls across the border. Turning, Stormpaw saw three cats approaching them. They paused at the borderline, but were letting out growls and pacing back and forth. Stormpaw examined the cats; one being a black tom with green eyes, the other a silver she-cat with white splashes on her chest, and the last a small dark brown tabby tom; an apprentice, by Stormpaw's guess.

"I told you I smelled DarkClan!" snarled the apprentice. His tail was lashing furiously, and he was flexing his claws. "Let's shred them!" A surge of fury rose inside Stormpaw, but he bit it back. He wouldn't let these flea-bags know they had provoked him.

"Hold on," Tornstar mewed, his voice icily calm. "We haven't crossed your border."

The she-cat let out a hiss. "Then why is it that we can smell your scent over the border?" Her fur was bristling, and she was lashing her tail.

Another strong wind buffeted against Stormpaw, flattening his fur against his body. Dust began to drift up, and was swept over the border, settling a few tail-lengths from where the BoulderClan cats were sitting.

"That's why you can smell our scent over the border," Tornstar explained. "It was most likely the wind, I can assure you, we've done nothing wrong."

"I don't believe it!" the she-cat hissed. "You can't trust a DarkClan cat."

"You should watch how you speak," Tornstar insisted, an edge to his voice. "You wouldn't want to run into my apprentice, Stormpaw, now would you?"

All the cats' attention turned to Stormpaw, and he shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't used to everyone staring at him; the cats in DarkClan ignored him like he didn't even exist.

"He doesn't scare me," the black tom hissed. Stormpaw knew he was lying; the tom's eyes kept darting nervously back to him, and his paws were shifting uncomfortably.

"I bet I could take him out with one swipe," the apprentice boasted, clawing at the air. Stormpaw was about to make a reply, but Tornstar signaled with his tail to back down.

"If you're so confident, then come and try it," Tornstar challenged, his voice still carrying that icy calmness.

The apprentice let out a furious hiss, bunching his muscles, preparing to spring.

"No!" the black tom exclaimed. "Brackenpaw, think. There's no sense in getting in a fight."

"Excuse me, but he's _my_ apprentice," the she-cat snarled. "I think he should do it; we need teach these mange-pelts a lesson. Go ahead, Brackenpaw, show them what you can do."

Brackenpaw flicked his tail happily, and lunged at Stormpaw. But Stormpaw was ready. He caught the tom, using his momentum against him, and slammed him against the ground, pinning him. Grabbing Brackenpaw's forearm in his mouth, Stormpaw pulled with all his might, not stopping until he heard a pop. Brackenpaw let out a wail of agony.

"What did you do to him?!" the she-cat hissed, her eyes wide with fear. She tried to cross the border, but Tornstar let out a growl, and she backed away.

"I dislocated his shoulder," Stormpaw mewed nonchalantly, watching the apprentice gasp in pain. "What do you think, Tornstar?" he asked. "Should I break his arm as well?"

"No, please don't!" the apprentice wailed. His eyes were wild with terror, and he began to tremble.

"No," Tornstar ordered, glaring at Brackenpaw. "I think he's had enough; he's learned his lesson. Let him go."

Stormpaw did as he was told, letting Brackenpaw limp slowly across the border. Once he reached the side of BoulderClan, he collapsed into his clanmates' arms. They each supported him onto their shoulders, and began to escort him, wanting to get as far away as fast as possible. Once they were out of sight, Stormpaw and his mentor began padding home. Stormpaw felt pride coursing through him. His first fight and it'd only lasted a few seconds!

"You were very impressive back there," Tornstar growled to his apprentice.

"Thank you, Tornstar," Stormpaw shrugged, not really caring about his mentor's praise. He just wanted to get back to training. "One question, if I may, Tornstar," he ventured. "Why did you order me to let go of that apprentice? I've never seen you as the type of cat to show mercy."

Tornstar growled deep in his throat, and Stormpaw wondered if he'd gone too far. But his mentor let out a sigh. "I didn't show mercy," he snarled. "It's complicated, you'll find out in a few days."

Stormpaw snorted, agitation making his pelt burn. Why did everything have to be so complicated? He shook himself, pushing his thoughts to the back of his head. Besides, Tornstar said he'd tell him in a few days.

"Come on," Tornstar commanded. "Let's start your training."

**(TL)**

Stormpaw picked a fat mouse from the fresh-kill pile, and settled down to eat. He and Tornstar had arrived a little while ago, and news about the encounter with BoulderClan was already circulating. While he sat to eat, two tiny kits came bounding up to him, and Stormpaw flicked his ears in surprise. _Kits?_ Stormpaw thought. _Since when did DarkClan have kits? _Briefly he reflected that Tornstar had been keeping him from camp, and he had probably missed a lot while he was away.

"Hi, Stormpaw!" one of the kits meowed. Although they were only a few mouse lengths away from him, Stormpaw could see that they were shifted their paws nervously.

"Hello." Stormpaw mewed, not paying much attention.

"I-is it true that you broke a cat's leg?" the other stammered, his tail quivering in excitement.

"Yes, kind of," Stormpaw explained, turning his head shyly. He wasn't used to attention. "But I dislocated it, I didn't break it."

"Wow, cool!" they both exclaimed at once, their eyes wide.

"I want to be like you when I grow up," one purred. "I hope Tornstar picks you as my mentor."

"No, he's going to be my mentor!" the other growled playfully, leaping on top of his sibling. Stormpaw watched as the two tussled in the dirt.

Just then he noticed that Featherheart was standing next to him. Her eyes were worried, and she was shifting her paws nervously.

"Can I talk to you?" she stammered, heading towards the camp entrance. Confused, Stormpaw padded after her.

"What is it?" Stormpaw asked once they were a few fox-lengths from camp.

"I'm worried about you!" Featherheart blurted. "I don't like what Tornstar's turning you into! Your muzzle is scratched, y-you're pelt is covered in s-scars! A-and I can see the b-b-blood thirst in your eyes… I mean you almost snapped a cat's arm today!" she sounded flustered. "Who are you?" she whispered.

Stormpaw felt anger bubbling inside him; how dare she talk about Tornstar that way? "I'm Stormpaw…" he began.

"But I don't want Stormpaw!" Featherheart wailed. "I want Storm_kit! _I want that adorable little kit I found outside the camp that day; the kit who loved chasing butterflies and tossing moss." Her voice shrank to a shaky whisper. "I don't want this monster-"

"_Monster_?" snarled Stormpaw, infuriated. "I'm not a monster, I'm a _warrior!_" Stormpaw began pacing, clawing furiously at the grass. "You're just like everyone else. I thought you of all cats would know how I feel about that!" He stared in to Featherheart's eyes as he continued. "Why _does_ the Clan hate me, anyway?"

Featherheart avoided his gaze. "I don't think you're ready-" she started.

"No, I don't want that 'you're not ready' fox-dung!" Stormpaw hissed. "Tell me, _now!"_

Featherheart looked reluctant, and she waited a few moments before speaking. "Okay," she sighed. "You deserve to know, after all." She began washing her pelt. "I suggest you sit down, it's a long story." As Stormpaw found a spot to lay in the grass, she continued. "We'll start with your brother."

**I'm not saying anything; I'm just going to leave you in suspense. :P**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors, it is owned by Erin Hunter. I also do not any affiliation with Erin Hunter. All I own are the characters and the plot.**

**Hey, guys! Worked super hard on this chapter, hope you like it! **

Chapter 5

"Liar," Stormpaw snarled. "I don't have a brother." Even though he seemed angry, there was uncertainty in his gaze.

"You're right, you don't," Featherheart sighed. "But you did. His name was Lionclaw, very brave, very fierce. Probably one of the best warriors the forest had ever seen." She twitched her tail. "He could've been a legend, but he lacked what a warrior needed most; loyalty. Loyalty to his clan, and loyalty to the warrior code." Featherheart paused, churning her paws in the dust. "He was relentless, killing every cat that picked a fight with him, murdering all cats he faced while in battle."

"What happened to him?" Stormpaw asked, intrigued.

"He was sent into exile, banished from the forest." Featherheart paused for breath before continuing. "No cat knows what happened to him, but some suggest he's dead." Featherheart lay her head on her paws, trying to avoid Stormpaw's gaze. "Your parents were crestfallen, thinking their only legacy would be a cat that wanted nothing but bloodshed. But then you came along, and they got excited." She paused, twitching her ears.

"Tell me more." Stormpaw growled.

"But then…" Featherheart stopped, and looked at her paws.

"But then what?" Stormpaw hissed, unsheathing his claws.

Featherheart let out a deep sigh. "There was a prophecy; there will be a light that shines through the clouds of the storm that threatens the forest."

"And after everything that happened, they think I'm the storm…" Stormpaw concluded.

"Yes. It's not your fault, they're just scared." Featherheart looked away as Stormpaw stared at her, not wanting to meet his gaze.

"What happened to my parents?" Stormpaw hissed. "Did they _kill_ them?" the thought made his blood boil with rage, and he began flexing his claws and lashing his tail.

"No." Featherheart mewed hastily. "Y-you're father died of whitecough, and your mother died during the kitting."

Stormpaw backed away, disbelief and fury making his pelt bristle. His whole life had been ruined because of his brother and a prophecy!

"I need to be alone right now." Stormpaw snarled, turning around and heading for the forest.

"Stormpaw, wait!" Featherheart called, catching up to him. She rested her tail gently on his shoulder.

Stormpaw shrugged her off, rage coming off him in powerful waves. "I said I need to be alone!" he growled, his voice thick with hatred.

Featherheart backed away, her eyes wild with fear. "I've never seen you like this before…" her voice was a shaky whisper, and she was trembling. "Stormpaw, calm down…"

"Why should I?" Stormpaw shouted, baring his teeth.

"I just don't want you to do something you'll regret."

Stormpaw huffed and began racing into the forest, ignoring Featherheart's call as he went. He swerved around trees and bushes, jumping over fallen branches. Once he was too tired to run anymore, he stopped and let out a furious caterwaul and collapsed to the ground. Birds flew high in the sky, letting out alarm calls.

Suddenly Stormpaw heard a shuffling noise, and turned his head, searching for a scent. It was BoulderClan! He got up, unsheathing his claws, and padded forwards. He'd only gone a few tail-lengths when three cats padded out, hissing furiously. Stormpaw recognized Brackenpaw almost instantly, along with his mentor and some other cat he didn't know; a golden tom with amber eyes.

"Is this him?" the golden tom asked, lashing his tail.

"Yes, it is." Brackenpaw hissed.

"What are you doing on DarkClan territory?" Stormpaw growled, itching for a fight. He needed something to take his anger out on.

"You didn't think you could break my arm and get away with it, did you?" Brackenpaw snarled.

"I didn't break your arm." Stormpaw growled, his voice dripping with fury. "But I will if you don't leave now." He raked his claws into the ground, bubbling with rage. "I've had a very bad day." He hissed. "And right now is not a good time to push me!"

"I don't know about this." The golden tabby mewed, his paws shifting uncomfortably. "He looks really upset."

"You're friend is smart." Stormpaw snarled. "You should listen to him."

"Be quiet, Sunfur!" the silver she-cat hissed. "We need to teach him a lesson."

"But you know what he did to Brackenpaw!" Sunfur protested.

"That was because I went against him alone." Brackenpaw insisted. "We have him outnumbered this time."

"This is your last chance." Stormpaw warned.

Brackenpaw let out a hiss, and sprung at Stormpaw. Stormpaw simply rolled to the side, grabbed him by the scruff, and flung him into Sunfur.

Sunfur toppled over, him and Brackenpaw getting tangled into a heap legs and tails. The silver she-cat was next, darting in and trying to swipe at Stormpaw with her claws unsheathed. Stormpaw swiftly ducked to the side and leaped on top of her, dragging her down and tossing her across the clearing with a kick from his hind legs. Suddenly Brackenpaw swiped at Stormpaw, and he hardly had time to react. Stormpaw blocked his blow with a paw, and countered by slashing Brackenpaw across the face with the other. Brackenpaw hissed in frustration, and swiped again. This time Stormpaw caught the tom's arm in his mouth, and rolled to the side, flipping Brackenpaw over as he did so. Getting up with Brackenpaw's arm still in his mouth, Stormpaw slammed his paw into the dark tabby's elbow, forcing his arm into the opposite direction it was supposed to be.

Stormpaw heard the crack of bone, and Brackenpaw let out a caterwaul, his arm lying limp in an awkward position.

"_Now_ I've broken your arm." Stormpaw hissed, letting the tom's limb fall to the ground. "Who else wants to fight me?" he challenged.

The other cats were looking reluctant, while Brackenpaw writhed on the floor, gasping.

"You two." Stormpaw flicked his tail towards the silver she-cat and Sunfur. "You're coming with me."

"You're crazy if you think I'll do that!" the she-cat growled, lashing her tail.

Stormpaw hissed with impatience. "Either you come with me, or you can end up like little Brackenpaw over here." He pointed his tail towards Brackenpaw; he was still gasping, clutching his arm with tears streaming from his eyes.

The she-cat looked as if she was going to object, but reluctantly she fell in beside Stormpaw, not meeting his gaze. Sunheart fell in too, his ears flat against his head. Stormpaw slid under Brackenpaw and stood, the dark tom slumped over his back. Grunting in effort, he set off to camp, the two cats following.

**(TL)**

Stormpaw pushed through the gorse tunnel, the two cats behind him. Cats gasped in shock as Stormpaw entered, and Tornstar padded out of his den, glaring at the trespassers.

"Stormpaw, what is this?" Tornstar demanded, stopping to sit in front of his apprentice, Hollyfur behind him.

"I caught these three on our territory." Stormpaw began, setting Brackenpaw down and glaring at Sunfur. "I questioned them, and they attacked me." He lashed his tail. "Apparently they wanted revenge for what happened at the border earlier today."

Tornstar let out a growl, and he bared his teeth. "Hollyfur, send a patrol to tell BoulderClan what's happened, you two, stay here." He flicked his tail at the two warriors. "Stormpaw, you take Brackenpaw to the medicine den."

Stormpaw did as he was told, picking Brackenpaw up by the scruff and setting him down inside Cloudheart's den. She gasped as she saw him.

"Great StarClan! What did you do to him?" her pelt was fluffed up, and she gazed at Brackenpaw with horror in her eyes.

"He got what he deserved." Stormpaw snarled. "Can you help him?"

Cloudheart looked bewildered. "Yes, I can." She mewed. "But it will hurt." She murmured softly to Brackenpaw. Brackenpaw whimpered, and Cloudheart picked out some poppy seeds from her storage.

"Eat these." She instructed, placing the seeds in front of the apprentice. "They'll help with the pain."

Brackenpaw lapped them up gratefully, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Let me see your arm." Cloudheart commanded.

Brackenpaw did as he was told, timidly placing his arm in front of Cloudheart. Cloudheart gripped it in her paws, and quickly snapped it back in place.

Brackenpaw let out a yowl, and he clutched his arm, writhing on the ground. After a few moments he stopped, cautiously standing, placing his paw gently on the ground. He winced at the pain, and collapsed.

"You'll have to keep off of it for a while." Cloudheart explained. "A day or two at the most."

Brackenpaw nodded, stumbling clumsily out of the den. Stormpaw followed, and saw that the patrol had returned with a batch of BoulderClan warriors. Brackenpaw limped over to his clanmates and collapsed gratefully next to them, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You three are in serious trouble." One of the warriors growled. "Just wait 'til Shadestar finds out!"

"Escort them." Tornstar snarled, and six warriors formed a circle around the BoulderClan patrol, filing them through the camp entrance.

Stormpaw padded over to his mentor, and Stormpaw could see a glint in his eyes.

"You've done exceptional work today, Stormpaw." His leader growled. "And I've got a reward for you."

"What is it?" Stormpaw asked, curious.

"I think it's time you became a warrior."

**Yes! Finally, it's time for Stormpaw to become a warrior! Whoo! This chapter has exhausted me! Shout out to HockeyStar31 and WyldClaw for their replies! Speaking of replies, I haven't gotten that many, and that's kind of worrying… I need to know what you guys think! Should I continue or what? Don't be afraid to lend a little constructive criticism! I look forward to your comments!**

**Toxic out!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Warriors is owned by Erin Hunter, all I own are the characters and the plot.**

**What's up, guys! I know I haven't been updating lately… Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter!**

Chapter 6

"Really?" Stormpaw asked, puzzled. Although he'd been an apprentice for a long time, he didn't think he was ready to become a warrior. "What about our training?"

"Don't worry, we're not done." Tornstar purred, amusement lighting his eyes. "You still have much to learn." He flicked his tail. "Your ceremony will have to wait until tomorrow though."

Stormpaw was puzzled, how could he have more to learn? He'd perfected every move Tornstar taught him, and most of them were lethal. With his current techniques, he could probably take on a whole Clan without anyone touching him!

"Go pick something from the fresh-kill pile," Tornstar ordered. "You'll need your strength for what I have planned."

Stormpaw padded over to the pile of fresh-kill and chose a plump shrew. As he lay down to eat, he noticed that Featherheart was approaching him. He gave a tiny hiss of frustration. Why was Featherheart acting so strangely all of a sudden? It seemed like all she ever did now was tell him how worried she was.

"What do _you_ want?" He hissed. Featherheart ignored him, and instead settled next to him, staring at her paws.

"Listen." She mewed. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I'm just worried." She began churning her paws into the dirt. "You've just been very distant lately; all you do is train." She paused before going on. "I guess I'm just afraid that you'll become another Lionclaw."

Featherheart's last sentence made Stormpaw bubble with fury, but deep down he knew she had a point. He had been very distant, very rarely talking to her when he had the chance.

"I'm sorry, too." He sighed. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry. I do admit that I've been distant, and I promise I'll try to talk to you more often."

Stormpaw could see relief flood Featherheart's eyes. "Thank you, Stormpaw." She stood and padded through the camp entrance.

Stormpaw wondered where she could be going at a time like this; it was late in the evening. As she swished through the gorse tunnel, a patrol – the patrol that escorted BoulderClan – entered. Some were carrying fresh-kill, others just padded straight to their dens.

Finishing the last of his shrew, Stormpaw padded to his den. Curling in his nest, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

** (TL)**

"Stormpaw, wake up." A voice sounded, shaking Stormpaw roughly. Stormpaw shifted in his nest, shrugging the cat off.

"Stormpaw!" this time the apprentice felt claws rake his side, and he blinked open to see Tornstar standing over him. "It's time for your ceremony." The leader growled, curling his blood soaked claws into the ground.

"Coming, Tornstar." Stormpaw mewed, hardly feeling the burning sensation along his side. He stretched and padded into the clearing.

The sky was a bright pink, wisps of cloud swirling, stars still glittering in the morning sky. Stormpaw began grooming his pelt, determined to look presentable during his ceremony. Tornstar leaped onto the tallbranch, his light brown pelt shining vividly in the sun.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the tallbranch for a clan meeting!" he called.

Cats began padding sleepily from their dens, shaking their pelts and stretching. Stormpaw waited patiently a few fox-lengths from the tallbranch until all cats had settled.

"I have called upon you today for a warrior ceremony that is due." The leader began. "Stormpaw, step forward."

The apprentice did as he was told, curling his claws into the ground.

"I, Tornstar, leader of DarkClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn." Tornstar lashed his tail, staring down at Stormpaw as he spoke. "Stormpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Stormpaw felt his fur bristle, and his amber eyes blazed as he mewed; "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I grant you your warrior name. Stormpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Stormfire. StarClan honors you strength and skill, and we welcome you as a full member of DarkClan."

To Stormfire's surprise, the clan began calling his name. They weren't cheering, but they were being a lot more enthusiastic then he expected them to be. Tornstar leaped down from the tallbranch, and Stormfire noticed Featherheart padding over to him. Her eyes were shining, and as she grew nearer he noticed a purr rumbling in her throat.

"I'm so proud of you." She mewed, flicking his shoulder with her tail. "I know you'll make an amazing warrior." Her gaze was warm, and she licked him affectionately between the ears.

"Thanks, Featherheart," Stormfire mewed. With all of Tornstar's training, it felt nice to have Featherheart by his side again. A thought crossed his mind, and he padded over to Tornstar, pelt prickling with unease.

"Tornstar," Stormfire mewed nervously, avoiding his mentor's gaze. "Do you think it'd be alright if I took the day off?" His tail was twitching uncomfortably, and his paws were churning in the dirt.

Tornstar's eyes blazed, and he unsheathed his claws, fur bristling with fury. Stormfire took a pace back, fear lighting his gaze. After a few moments his mentor relaxed, his fur lying flat. "Fine," he hissed. He stalked away, looking over his shoulder. "Just one thing, I don't want you staying vigil tonight." Tornstar headed toward the camp entrance, pushing his way through the gorse tunnel with a flick of his tail.

Stormfire let out a sigh of relief, flattening his ears against his head. What had Tornstar gotten so angry about? Pushing his thoughts to the back of his head, he approached Featherheart. "Good news," he mewed. "Tornstar said I could have the day off."

"Really?" Featherheart seemed surprised.

"Yes; I'm just as surprised as you are." However hard he tried, he couldn't shake all the question popping up in his head. Why had Tornstar let him have the day off? And why didn't he want him to sit vigil?

"Well, what do you want to do?" The question snapped Stormfire out of his thoughts, and he looked to see Featherheart staring at him quizzically. Her tail was twitching excitedly, and her eyes blazed with mischief.

"I have some ideas." Stormfire growled playfully. "Follow me." Feeling free for the first time in a long while, Stormfire led Featherheart out of the gorse tunnel.

**(TL)**

"Come on, higher!" Stormfire encouraged, beckoning Featherheart with his tail. The two had been playing games all day, the first being a race. Stormfire had to admit, Featherheart was fast, but now he wanted to try something he was good at. Featherheart scrambled up next to him, hauling herself onto the branch. She was panting, and there was nervousness in her eyes.

"I don't understand how you can climb this high and not be tired," she huffed.

"I climb trees, it's a hobby." Stormfire shrugged. He leaped up the next few branches, and Featherheart followed, grunting with the effort. As she hopped on, she looked down, and scrambled back towards the trunk of the tree.

"Okay…" she mewed nervously. "I'd like to go down now." They were pretty high up, the bushes below looking like green dots.

"Sure." Stormfire said, his eyes sparking with mischief. He planted his paw on the branch Featherheart was on and shook it, causing it to rock back and forth.

Featherheart yelped, and she clung on to the branch, wrapping her paws around it. Stormfire sat on his branch and began to laugh.

"That wasn't funny!" Featherheart snarled playfully, her fur bristling. She quickly scrambled down the tree, Stormfire following. As the two cats landed on the ground, Featherheart gave a sigh of relief, her fur lying flat. "You'll pay for that." Featherheart promised, swiping her tongue around her jaws. "Now we do something boring. Come with me to the river."

Stormfire followed, watching Featherheart weave around bushes and trees, until they finally reached the river. Featherheart sat at the edge, her tail-tip twitching. "Sit." She insisted.

Stormfire cocked his head, confused. Why were they staring at the river? Weren't they supposed to be having fun? Reluctantly he sat at the edge with Featherheart, paws kneading the ground. "I don't understand," he ventured. "How is this suppo-"

His mew was cut off as Featherheart pushed him into the river, the icy coldness gripping him like claws. His paws met with pebble, and he stood up, water streaming from his pelt. He hauled himself out of the river, shivering, and saw Featherheart bowled over with laughter.

"Okay, you got me." Stormfire huffed, his pelt growing hot with embarrassment. He knew he couldn't let her get away with that; he needed the last laugh. "Come here." He padded forward, a mischievous glare in his eyes. Featherheart scrambled up and backed away, her eyes wide.

"What do you think you're doing?" she exclaimed.

"Oh, nothing," Stormfire replied, flicking her with his soaking tail. Featherheart leaped back and raced away, Stormfire chasing after her. The two raced in the forest, swerving around obstacles. Stormfire leaped, knocking Featherheart off her paws, pinning her to the ground. He then shook his pelt, making sure the cold droplets soaked into her fur.

"Okay, okay! I give." Featherheart wailed, her blue eyes glowing. Stormfire let her up, his fur sticking out in clumps. A cold wind blew overhead, ruffling the two cats' fur, causing them to shiver. The sky was turning a shade of violet, and stars had begun to twinkle in the sky.

"We should get back to camp." Stormfire cautioned, going in the direction of the camp. Featherheart said nothing; she just followed with a huff.

**(TL)**

Stormfire and Featherheart padded through the gorse tunnel. Cats were already padding into their dens, others sharing tongues as the sun began to set.

"I had fun today." Featherheart mewed suddenly, brushing her tail gently against Stormfire's shoulder.

"So did I." Stormfire answered. "I wish we could have more days like this." He licked Featherheart on the head, then let out an enormous yawn. "Okay, I'm going to bed." He padded over to his den and curled into his nest. Featherheart did the same, lying a few tail-lengths from him. Closing his eyes, Stormfire let himself sink into sleep.

Stormfire woke, grogginess dragging at his paws. Blinking his eyes, he stared in shock at the landscape before him.

Tall, dark trees stretched high into the sky, their bodies seeming to go on forever. Glowing, slimy fungus was growing at the roots, snaking their way up the trunks. Black mist wreathed around the floor, the haze making the ground hardly visible. The sky was black with the dark of night, but an eerie light shown down on the forest.

Stormfire noticed a cat was approaching him, instantly recognizing the brown, scarred pelt.

"Tornstar?" he mewed, flicking his ears in surprise. His mentor lay in front of him, inspecting his claws, slashing them in the slimy dirt. "What is this place?"

"It's the place where you and I will be training from now on." He purred, lashing his tail. "The Dark Forest."

**Alright, got this chapter done! You guys better buckle your seatbelts, because the next few chapters are about to get really intense! By the way, I want to let you guys in on a little Easter Egg. If you go to the first chapter, you'll see it says 'A Broken Shell' at the top. That's because that was supposed to be the original title of the story! Okay, see you guys later!**

**Toxic out!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter. All I own are **_**MOST**_** of the characters and the plot.**

Chapter 7

"The Dark Forest?" mewed Stormfire, fear trickling along his spine. "Does that mean…?"

"No, you're not dead." Tornstar purred, amusement lighting his gaze. "You're dreaming. We'll be meeting here for training as well as in the forest back home." He stood up, licked his paw, and drew it over an ear. "I suppose now you can see why I didn't want you sitting vigil tonight."

Stormfire nodded, his fur beginning to lie flat again. As far as he could tell, there were no other cats around, the mist blocking out everything within a few fox-lengths from him. Tornstar began stalking away, lashing his tail as he went.

"Follow me." He ordered, disappearing as the black mist swallowed him. Stormfire went after him, determined not to lose him. The thought of being lost out here made him shiver, and he padded more briskly after his mentor. Soon the two came into a clearing, and Stormfire stared around in amazement.

There were many cats, more than Stormfire thought could all be in one place, in the clearing. Cats were writhing on the floor, and Stormfire closed his ears as shrieks of battle, fury and agony echoed across the trees. Stormfire watched as a cat broke from the ranks and padded over to them. Her tabby pelt was such a dark shade of brown that she seemed almost black, and as she came closer Stormfire could see that her eyes were two different colors.

"Greetings, Darkflower." Tornstar mewed, dipping his head.

Darkflower said nothing, but instead turned her attention toward Stormfire.

"So, this is the infamous Stormfire." She mewed, her voice was like ice, sending chills down Stormfire's spine. "We've heard a lot about you."

"Really?" Stormfire asked, surprised. What exactly had Tornstar said about him?

"Yes, we have. And I must say I'm impressed." Her eyes were blazing with something, but Stormfire couldn't figure out what, and she swiped her tongue around her jaws. "I'd like to see if you're what Tornstar says you are. Until then, I'll be watching your progress with interest." She said nothing more, just turned and padded away into the mass fighting cats.

"Come on, let's start." Tornstar growled, leading the way forward.

Stormfire followed, his fur prickling as he weaved around the mass of writhing, spitting bodies.

** (TL)**

"Come on! I know you can climb higher than that!" Tornstar called, lashing his tail. After his training in the Dark Forest, Stormfire's mentor had woken him up to take him climbing. Stormfire's muscles still burned from his training last night, and as he hauled himself to the next branch, his limbs protested stiffly.

"Good, now the next branch." Tornstar growled, leaping to the next branch and encouraging Stormfire forward. Stormfire leaped, clawing his way to the top of the branch, panting as he lay there to rest. Tornstar approached him, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

"You've done well today," the leader snarled. "Your session is over. We'll continue tonight." He leaped down from the branch, landing lightly on the floor, and padded briskly off into the forest. Stormfire let out a sigh, leaping from his branch, landing neatly on the ground. He then set off, padding in the direction of the camp.

Stormfire pushed his way through the gorse tunnel, searching for Featherheart. He spotted her sitting near the fresh-kill pile, eating a thrush. He padded over to her, and when she saw him she let out a purr.

"Hey, Stormfire!" she mewed happily. "Done with your training for today?" her icy blue eyes were glowing, and her tail was twitching with excitement.

"Yes, I am." Stormfire mewed, picking out a squirrel. "What do we do now?" He lay in the grass and began to eat.

"There's not much we can do, seeing as it's almost dusk." Featherheart flicked her tail toward the sky, and Stormfire could see that it was a dark shade of purple, the sun setting behind the trees. "How about we patrol the MoonClan border?"

"Why would we do that?" Stormfire asked. MoonClan was known to be very passive and peace-keeping, strictly sticking to the warrior code. They were often viewed as weak by the other clans, but they didn't seem to mind their teasing. Why should they patrol their border?

"You can never be too careful." Featherheart mewed, rising to her paws and padding through the gorse tunnel. "Come on!"

Finishing the last of his squirrel, Stormfire followed Featherheart out of the camp.

The two trekked briskly through the forest, swerving around bushes and fallen branches as they went. Soon they came to the MoonClan border, inspecting the border and leaving a scent marker.

"Alright, that should do." Featherheart remarked, stretching her legs. "I guess we should head back to camp now."

"Do we have to?" Stormfire mewed, the reluctance evident in his voice. The night was still young; surely there was still something they could do.

Featherheart's eyes sparked with mischief. "Of course not." Her fur was bristling with excitement, and she lashed her tail. "Let's do something fun."

Stormfire hesitated. He had to go to sleep soon; he needed to meet up with Tornstar for his Dark Forest training. His former mentor would be furious if he showed up late. He pushed his thoughts to the back of his head. Surely his leader wouldn't mind if he showed up just a few moments late? What was the worst he could do? Stormfire lead the way into the forest, his worries about Tornstar nothing but a remnant of a thought in the back of his mind.

**(TL)**

"Come on, fight harder!" Tornstar challenged, landing a hefty blow to Stormfire's head. Blood welled from the wound, trickling down into his eyes, blinding him.

Blinking through the sheet of scarlet, Stormfire ducked, hardly dodging another swipe from his mentor's outstretched claws. He then leaped on top of Tornstar and dragged him to the ground. Pinning him, Stormfire pricked his mentor's skin with his sharp claws.

"Why are we training so hard?" Stormfire asked, letting Tornstar get to his paws. Tornstar then shook his pelt, blood splattering on the oily floor of the Dark Forest.

"You missed a session a few days back." Tornstar snarled, his fur bristling with fury. He clawed Stormfire, and he fell to the ground, his mentor pinning him. "What exactly were you doing?" his green eyes stared malevolently at Stormfire, and he dug his claws into his skin.

"I-I was patrolling borders." Stormfire stammered, remembering the time he spent with Featherheart. That wasn't exactly a lie, they had patrolled the borders first, but he knew it was no real excuse.

Tornstar growled deep in his throat, and he dug his claws deeper into Stormfire's flesh. Stormfire struggled, but he couldn't get out of his leader's grip. Raising his paw, Tornstar was about to deal a blow when a voice sounded behind them.

"Enough, Tornstar." A cat came and dragged Tornstar off of Stormfire, the dark tabby pelt looming over him.

"Darkflower!" Tornstar hissed. He lashed his tail. "Stay out of this, it doesn't concern you."

Darkflower's eyes narrowed, and her tail-tip was twitching. "You should watch your tone." She mewed coolly. "It seems you've forgotten who you're talking to." Her fur bristling, she slid out her claws and bared her teeth. "Maybe I need to remind you."

Tornstar hissed furiously, his eyes blazing. Looking closer, Stormfire thought he saw fear in their emerald depths, and his leader backed away, stalking through the mist until it engulfed him.

Darkflower turned back to Stormfire and hauled him to his paws. "Are you okay?" she mewed.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks." Stormfire cocked his head, confused. Why was she helping him? He shook blood from his pelt, watching it splatter across the floor.

"If Tornstar bothers you again, let me know." Darkflower flexed her claws, her eyes blazing with blood-thirst. "I'll teach him a lesson he won't soon forget." She turned and padded through the mist with a flick of her tail.

Stormfire padded onward, weaving around trees as he headed for the clearing. Once there, he was met with two cats.

"Hey, look, it's Stormfire." One mewed, a white tom with black ear tips. The other, an orange tom with black paws and stripes along his flank, pricked his ears and turned around.

"Hey, Lynxfur, Foxstripe." Stormfire greeted the two cats. They'd been among the first cats he'd encountered in the Dark Forest, and now they were some of his closest friends.

Foxstripe only twitched his ears in acknowledgement and watched the other cats in the clearing training. Stormfire then turned his attention to Lynxfur.

"So, Lynxfur." Stormfire mewed. "How's your training been going?"

"Fine, thanks!" Foxstripe meowed, flexing his claws. "Jaggedbranch showed me a new move, you want to see?" his eyes were sparkling, and his tail was swaying back and forth.

"Sure." Stormfire mewed, unsheathing his claws. Without warning, Foxstripe darted forward and slid underneath Stormfire's belly, grabbing his back leg. He then rolled across the floor, taking Stormfire with him, and jerked his leg, sending a sharp but dull pain throughout Stormfire's body.

"If this were a real fight, I'd have broken your leg." Foxstripe snarled, letting Stormfire up. Afterwards the three cats watched the others training, sharing tongues as they did so.

"Alright, I think it's time I went back home." Stormfire meowed, curling up in the slimy dirt.

"You go ahead," Foxstripe mewed, lashing his tail. "I'm going to stay here and practice some more."

Bidding his friends farewell, Stormfire closed his eyes and let the forest around him fade to nothingness.

Stormfire woke, blinking the exhaustion from his eyes. The light of dawn was peeking through the bramble screen of the warriors' den, sending dappled shadows across the floor. Stretching his legs, Stormfire padded out into the open. The sky was a light pinkish color, a golden-bronze tinge at the bottom. The air was thick with the smell of growing things, and birdsong echoed throughout the forest. Searching the camp for Featherheart, Stormfire saw no trace of her. Looking towards the camp entrance, he saw Hollyfur organizing patrols.

"Hey, Hollyfur," Stormfire mewed as he approached her. "Have you seen Featherheart?"

Hollyfur looked thoughtful. "I remember her saying she was going hunting." She flicked her tail towards the camp entrance. "Near the MoonClan border."

"Thanks, Hollyfur!" Stormfire called as he pushed his way through the gorse tunnel. He set off near the MoonClan border, excitement prickling his pelt. What kind of games would he and Featherheart play today? The thought made his paws itch with anticipation, and he padded faster. Reaching the MoonClan border, Stormfire searched for Featherheart.

"Featherheart?" he mewed, swerving around bushes and trees. Where was she? The surrounding area seemed to be empty, with no trace of her. A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he dropped into a crouch. "Come on, Featherheart. You can't scare me." Still searching, Stormfire sat back on his haunches, confused. _Where could she be?_ he wondered, pricking his ears. Padding forward, he drew his paw back in surprise as it collided with something soft. Peering down, Stormfire saw a golden pelt lying in the grass, a pool of blood surrounding the body as empty, glazed blue eyes stared at nothing.

It was Featherheart.

"Featherheart…" Stormfire choked, his voice breaking. He felt sick, a deep sorrow welling up inside him, his energy draining into the ground, leaving him completely. He crouched over Featherheart's dead body, tears streaming from his eyes, sobs racking his body. Staring at her sightless eyes, the thought of never seeing her again crossed his mind, and he sobbed even harder.

In that instant something snapped inside Stormfire. His grief began changing into anger, and he felt his fur growing hot, feeling as if his emotions alone could burn anything that was thrown at him. He felt like a leaf, filling with the waters of rage, only this feeling was stronger, stronger than hatred, stronger than anything he had ever felt before. His emotions were spilling over, so overwhelming it made him tremble, it made his eyes blaze. A cold feeling crept into his heart, and instead of pushing it away, he welcomed it, empowered it, let it engulf him.

Stormfire unsheathed his claws, a wicked desire rising inside of him. He wanted to see the flow of blood, hear the crack of bone, the wails of agony from the cat that did this. He wanted to see the horror in the dying eyes of Featherheart's murderer. Hearing the crunch of leaves behind him, Stormfire whipped around to see Tornstar staring at him wide-eyed, his fur bristling.

"Stormfire, what's going on? Are you okay?" he stayed where he was, standing next to a small pile of leaves, and Stormfire thought he saw genuine fear in his leader's eyes.

Stormfire stepped aside to reveal Featherheart's body. "Who did this?" he snarled, his voice twisted with hatred, sounding as if it didn't belong to him. Tornstar didn't answer; just lay crouched in the grass. "_Who did this?!" _Stormfire repeated, louder now, viciously slashing his claws into the dirt, leaving deep gouges in their wake.

Although in the mist of his fury, Stormfire felt his heart skip a beat at Tornstar's next words.

"I did."

** Oh, snap! Tornstar, you done goofed…! Really hope you guys liked the chapter! I want to give a shout out to Flamestar00 for coming up with Darkflower for me, thanks a bunch! You can expect to see her a lot more in the story! Were you guys surprised with Featherheart's death? Leave a review!**

** Toxic out!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Stormfire felt the world rock beneath him. "Y-you what?" he choked out, his limbs trembling.

"I killed her." Tornstar shrugged, acting as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He twitched his ears and lay in the grass – inspecting his claws.

"Why?" meowed Stormfire, disbelief swirling around in his head. He crouched to the ground and closed his eyes. He felt sick, and bile rose in his throat, but he swallowed it.

"She was making you weak." Tornstar snarled, his eyes glistening with fury. "Before you were ruthless; the only thing you cared about was improving your skill. But then that mouse-heart came along." He lashed his tail and clawed the dirt.

Stormfire was still crouching, shock making him numb. He looked up and stared at Tornstar as he went on.

"She influenced you," he continued, "she made you stoop from relentless training to playing silly games!" He paused before continuing. "So, I sent her hunting – alone – and then I ambushed her and killed her.

"I saw your weakness, and I got rid of it for you. You're welcome." The last sentence came as a sneer, and it sent rush of fury through Stormfire's body.

He leaped on his former mentor, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. Knocking his leader to the ground, Stormfire pressed one paw on his belly, another on his throat – claws unsheathed.

"You want to kill me, don't you?" he asked, his voice a silky purr. His words made Stormfire bubble with rage. Featherheart was gone, and it because of him. Idly he wondered what would happen if he did kill Tornstar. He pressed his paw down hard on his mentor's throat, choking him. Tornstar tried to gasp for air, feebly trying to push Stormfire's paws off of his neck. Stormfire only pressed down harder, cold satisfaction rushing through him as he noticed his leader's struggles were growing weaker.

Stormfire looked into his mentor's eyes, wanting to see the light fade as he lay dying. He stared into their emerald depths, hissing as he did so. He could see the suffering, but there was something else. Something he never expected to see in a dying warrior's eyes. _Satisfaction_. His mentor actually looked happy to be dying. Tornstar's words rang in Stormfire's ears – _you want to kill me, don't you? _

Realization made Stormfire's pelt bristle. Tornstar _wanted_ to be killed. Stormfire released his paw from his leader's throat and slashed his claws across his face. Backing away, he let his mentor get to his paws, blood dripping from the wound on Tornstar's face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Tornstar asked, clearly disappointed.

"I'm not killing you," Stormfire snarled, "that's what you want." He flattened his ears against his head. "I have something far better in mind." He stalked past his leader, glaring at him – daring him to make a move.

Tornstar did nothing, just watched with interest as his apprentice stormed past. "I look forward to what you have planned." He purred, padding after him.

Stormfire's pelt bristled with fury, but he swallowed it – let it simmer. He wouldn't kill Tornstar, there was no point anyway; he had nine lives. Besides, it's not what Featherheart would have wanted. He padded through the forest, Tornstar following.

_Just wait, Tornstar_, Stormfire thought, curling his claws into the ground. _By the time I'm done with you, you'll wish you were dead_.

**(TL)**

Stormfire woke, black mist swirling around his paws. _I'm in the Dark Forest_, he thought, pelt pricking with anticipation. He needed something to sink his claws into, to feel blood flowing beneath his paws. He padded in the direction of the clearing, his eyes bright with blood-thirst.

Fungus grew at the base of trees, casting an eerie glow on the mist hovering above the ground. Giant, black trees grew high into the sky, seeming to go on forever. Stormfire padded on, feeling at home in the frightening area. Finally he came into a clearing, finding cats spitting and hissing at one another. Seeing a fight session about to begin, he quickly trotted over to a group of cats.

"Hello, Stormfire," one of the cats mewed as he approached. "Want to join the fight?"

"Sure," Stormfire growled, flexing his claws. "How about all of you against me?" He felt as if he could take on a whole clan and not suffer a scratch!

All eyes turned on him – they were clearly surprised. "Are you sure?" one of them questioned. "There are about seven of us – not even you could handle that many."

"We'll see about that." Stormfire snarled, pelt bristling.

"Confident today, aren't we?" someone growled. "Very well, let's begin."

Without warning, all cats sprang at Stormfire, teeth bared and claws unsheathed. Stormfire quickly hopped backward, all cats landing on the floor instead of him. He then leaped over someone, grabbing their scruff as he did so, and slammed them to the ground, hearing the breath rush from their body. He then hauled the cat to his paws and threw him into the crowd. Some cats dodged, others collapsing beneath the body.

A leapt toward Stormfire, and he stepped to the side, the cat landing on all fours. Stormfire crashed into the cat's side, unbalancing him. He pinned him to the ground and sliced his claws down his attacker's belly.

The she-cat let out a howl of agony, blood welling from the wound. Stormfire then clawed her across the face, and she fell silent – unconscious.

Two more cats took her place, both of them toms. One of them rushed toward Stormfire, swiping his claws at his face.

Stormfire grabbed the tom's arm in his mouth, and rolled on the floor – using the same move he used on Brackenpaw. He snapped the tom's arm in half, relishing at the crunch of bone. The tom screamed, and Stormfire sunk his teeth into his throat, blood gushing into his mouth. The tom let out a choking cry, his body convulsing until it lay still.

"Your turn." Stormfire growled, turning his attention towards the other tom. He leapt on him and pushed him to the ground, brutally clawing the back of his neck until he stopped moving. Blood soaked Stormfire's paws, staining his arms red.

The others had recovered, and they were stalking menacingly toward Stormfire. _Three toms and a she-cat, _he thought_. This should be easy. _

Stormfire rushed forward, slamming into one of the toms – a huge brown tabby. Knocking him to the ground, Stormfire grabbed him by the scruff and slammed back to the floor. He then repeatedly scored his claws down the tabby's flank, blood flowing rapidly on the floor. The tom heaved upwards, shoving Stormfire off of him. The tabby then leapt at him. Stormfire grabbed the tom, using his momentum against him. He then slammed the tom to the ground and slammed his paw into his head.

The she-cat rushed into Stormfire, knocking him off his paws. She then planted a paw on his throat, claws unsheathed.

"I win," she snarled, pricking Stormfire's flesh.

Stormfire grabbed her paw in his mouth and bit down hard, his teeth scraping against bone. The she-cat let out a yowl and wrenched her paw free, blood splattering on the floor. Grabbing the she-cat's neck in his mouth, Stormfire slammed her head into the ground, knocking her unconscious.

One of the toms leapt at Stormfire, bowling him over. He then leaped, claws outstretched. Stormfire jumped in the air, meeting the tom midway, closing his jaws around his throat. The two then fell to the ground, Stormfire landing on top of the tom with a dull _thud_. Stormfire then released the tom, turning his attention to his last enemy – a light brown tom.

Stormfire leapt forward and bowled the tom over. Pinning him, he placed one paw on his throat and the other on his stomach.

"I-I give up," he mewed, his eyes bright with fear.

"Not an option," Stormfire snarled, gripping the tom's arm in his mouth and snapping it in half.

The tom let out a howl, and Stormfire backed away. Bodies lay on the floor, blood flowing along the misty ground.

Suddenly something slammed into Stormfire, knocking him to the floor. Twisting his body, Stormfire saw the brown tabby standing over him, teeth and claws bared.

"You're persistent, aren't you?" Stormfire grunted, heaving upwards – trying to throw his opponent off of him.

The dark brown tom pressed against Stormfire's body, slamming him back to the ground. "You're not going anywhere." he growled, closing his jaws around Stormfire's throat.

Stormfire slid under his opponent and heaved, unbalancing him. He then planted a paw down on his throat, pinning him. The tom struggled, trying to push Stormfire off, but he was too strong. Stormfire slammed the tom's head against the floor, leaving him dazed.

"You certainly put up a fight." Stormfire growled, breathing heavily. "Therefore you get to choose –what do you want me to break? Your arm or your neck?"

The tom stared at Stormfire, his eyes burning with hatred.

"It's simple," Stormfire went on. "Either I break your neck and leave you paralyzed, or I break your arm." He pressed his claws against his enemy's neck, pricking his flesh.

The tom struggled for a moment longer, fear flashing in his eyes. After a few moments he stopped, his eyes full of hatred. "Arm." He mewed, avoiding Stormfire's gaze.

Stormfire gripped the tom's arm and forced it in the opposite direction, hearing the snap of bone. The brown tabby screamed in pain, and Stormfire let his limb fall to the ground. Leaving his injured opponents to bleed in the dirt, he stalked off into the forest.

_Weaklings_, he thought, coming to rest against a tree. _That brown tabby certainly is interesting, though_. Stormfire sighed and lay on the floor. The fight had exhausted him, and his stomach felt hollow with hunger. Hearing the crunch of leaves, Stormfire looked up, teeth and claws bared. If one of the cats had come looking for a rematch, then he would give them a scar they'd never forget.

"Who's there?" Stormfire called. His pelt was bristling, and he lashed his tail.

A ginger tom came from around the corner of a tree, his blue eyes staring nervously at Stormfire. He looked no older than seven moons – an apprentice, by Stormfire's guess.

"What do you want?" he snarled, baring his teeth at the small kit. The kit took a few paces back, fear-scent coming off him in waves.

"I-I saw your f-fight." he stammered. "I-I just wanted to say I thought you were awesome." The tom was shifting his paws uncomfortably, his ears flat against his head. "I've been watching you train, watching you fight. I think you're really cool. I want to be just like you when I grow up."

Stormfire felt hot beneath his pelt. He wasn't used to attention, especially being the inspiration of a kit. "What's your name?" he asked, curious. So far, he liked this kit.

"I'm Applepaw." The apprentice mewed, seemingly a little less nervous. He padded cautiously toward Stormfire, even venturing as to lay down next to him.

"Well, Applepaw," Stormfire mewed. "You don't want to be like me, trust me when I tell you that."

"What do you mean?" Applepaw asked; his eyes wide. "Why wouldn't _anyone_ want to be like you?"

"I've gone through much," Stormfire answered. "I've had a lot happen to me. The only reason I'm like this is because I'm so angry."

"Why are you angry?" Applepaw meowed.

Stormfire felt a pang in his heart. He didn't really feel comfortable discussing Featherheart's death again. Depression weighed at his paws just thinking about it. Why did this apprentice want to know, anyway? Suddenly suspicious, he stared menacingly at Applepaw.

"I-I'm sorry." The apprentice stammered, shrinking away from Stormfire's glare. "It's fine if you don't want to talk about it."

Stormfire heaved a long sigh. He'd never been the social type; he wasn't much of a talker. He didn't feel comfortable expressing his feelings – he thought it was a sign of weakness. But all of these emotions needed to be relieved somehow, and he needed to get some things off his mind.

"I uh… I wasn't the most popular in my clan." he began, avoiding Applepaw's gaze. "I was actually hated – for reasons I could never understand. I was tortured and picked on for months, no cat showing the slightest bit of mercy. To be honest, I've never really been in a battle – all these scars were gained as a kit."

Applepaw's eyes grew wide, his gaze full of shock. "After what seemed like forever, I met a she-cat named Featherheart. She was very nice – kind of pretty, too.

"She taught me that not everything could be solved with violence; most times you had to just walk away instead of fighting. We had a lot of fun together – playing games; things like that.

"After reaching six moons, I didn't think I'd become an apprentice. I thought I'd be a kit forever. But Tornstar did apprentice me – he was my mentor. He trained me hard – very harsh, brutal. He turned me into what I am now.

"I never stopped playing with Featherheart, though. I never forgot what she taught me. Pretty soon, Tornstar found out about it. He… he, uh…" Stormfire paused, reluctant to go on. "He killed her. He said that she was a weakness – that by killing her, he'd gotten rid of my faults.

"In that instant, something snapped. All the things Featherheart taught me just… vanished. All I wanted was revenge."

"What did you do?" Applepaw asked, his blue eyes staring sadly at Stormfire.

"Well, I wanted to kill him – to avenge Featherheart. But… I had to accept that she was gone; there was nothing I could do about that.

"Afterwards, with no one left who cared about me, I became this." Stormfire clawed the dirt, growling in frustration. "This angry, careless cat with no friends – no one to look out for me."

Applepaw stared at his paws as Stormfire finished, ears flat against his head. "I'll be your friend."

Stormfire stared – surprised – at Applepaw. So far the only one who had offered to be his friend was Featherheart. Stormfire was about to mew a reply when he heard a bush rustling nearby. A cat appeared, Stormfire almost instantly recognizing the dark brown pelt.

"Darkflower, what brings you here?" Stormfire mewed.

Darkflower ignored him, instead turning her attention toward Applepaw. "Leave. Now." she snarled, baring her teeth.

Applepaw stared defiantly at Darkflower, but he couldn't resist taking a few paces backwards. "Can't I stay?" he questioned Stormfire. "Please?"

Stormfire hesitated. He did want Applepaw to stay – he wanted to talk some more. But seeing the look in Darkflower's eyes, it made him shiver. He didn't want to see Applepaw get hurt, especially after the apprentice had offered to be his friend. "No," he meowed, "do as Darkflower says."

Applepaw looked as if he wanted to object, but after a few moments he dipped his head and padded off.

"So, what is it?" Stormfire asked as soon as Applepaw was out of earshot.

"I saw your fight." Darkflower purred. "That was very impressive." She lay in the grass, staring at Stormfire – eyes full of admiration.

"It wasn't that good," Stormfire mewed. "Their technique was sloppy."

Darkflower shook her head. "Those were seasoned warriors, that brown tabby being one of our best members here. You went through them like they were _kits_. I've never seen that before." She padded closer, staring into Stormfire's eyes as she mewed; "What _are_ you?"

Stormfire thought a moment, unsure about her question. What did she mean? The fight hadn't been all that great; there were many things he could have done better. Besides, it was over and done with, why talk about it now?

Stormfire stared at his paws, thinking about the fight. The feeling of blood on his paws, hearing the crack of bone, it made him shiver with pleasure. Thinking hard, Stormfire remembered all of his times as a kit – everything he had been through. The fearful look in his clanmates' eyes, it fueled him. A thought suddenly came to his mind, and, looking at Darkflower, Stormfire felt cold satisfaction course through him as he mewed;

"I'm the storm."

**Oh my glob! Looks like Stormfire finally snapped… I hope you guys liked the chapter! What do you guys think of Applepaw? Let me know in your reviews! I'll see what I can do about getting another chapter of the Legend of Bloodclaw in – I've seriously neglected that story. Until then, I'll see you guys, when I see you guys.**

** Toxic out!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Come on, higher!" Stormfire encouraged. Applepaw hauled himself onto the next branch, grunting with the effort. It'd been a few days since the two had met, and Stormfire had taken it upon himself to train the ginger apprentice. Right now they were in the Dark Forest. They were tree climbing, and they were high up, the clearing below looking like a dot. Applepaw collapsed on the branch his mentor was sitting on, gasping for breath.

"Very well done," Stormfire purred, his eyes glowing. "That's enough for today; you can rest now."

Applepaw's eyes widened in disbelief. He stood up, staring at his mentor. "Are you kidding?" he asked, twitching his ears. "You think I'd quit now when we're so close to the top?" The ginger tom pointed his tail upwards, and Stormfire followed its direction.

The top of the tree was only a few fox-lengths away, gnarled branches twirling outwards from the trunk. White light shone down from below, bathing the tree in an eerie glow.

"Well, if you think you're up for it…" Stormfire mewed, leaping to the next branch. He dug his claws into the smooth, damp bark, easily pulling himself onto the next branch. Applepaw followed, breathing heavily as he came up beside his silver friend. The ginger cat's pelt was ruffled, and his eyes were dim with exhaustion.

"Are you sure about this?" Stormfire questioned, cocking his head to the side. Concern washed over him like a wave. Applepaw didn't look too good; his claws were worn, and his pelt was covered in scratches. His muscles seemed stiff, and he was breathing very heavily.

"Yeah, let's keep going." Applepaw meowed. He leapt to the next branch, hissing in pain as he drew himself over the gnarled limb. He crouched down, his legs hanging over the side.

"Applepaw, stop," Stormfire clawed his way up the next branch, seating himself against his friend. Applepaw avoided his gaze, staring at the ground with his head positioned over the branch. "You don't look well. Have you been eating properly?" Stormfire noticed that some of the apprentice's ribs were showing through his pelt, and as if on cue his stomach let out a loud growl. Applepaw looked helplessly at his friend, his ears flattening against his head.

"No." he mumbled, looking away.

"Why not?" Stormfire asked, his mew outraged. Applepaw was silent, staring down at his paws. Stormfire etched closer to the apprentice, being careful not to fall off. He crouched low, his eyes burning into Applepaw's pelt.

"Because of you!" Applepaw wailed; his voice distraught. "You've been through so much, and yet you're still strong like nothing's happened! I just wanted to see what it's like to be you for a change."

"And how's that working for you?" Stormfire mewed, his tail-tip twitching. Applepaw was swinging his legs, head still positioned over the branch.

"It's horrible," he mewed. "I'm exhausted; I feel as if I could sleep for a moon! And I'm so hungry…" he paused, seemingly reluctant to go on. He looked at Stormfire as he mewed; "I haven't eaten in two days."

"What?!" Stormfire growled. Applepaw turned away, shame coming off him in waves. "Listen, Applepaw." Stormfire lay on the branch, his eyes burning into his friend's pelt. "I don't want you trying to see what it's like to be me. I know I may _seem_ like a great warrior, but trust me; I'm not."

"What do you mean?" Applepaw asked, turning his attention back towards his friend.

"I don't know…" Stormfire mewed, his voice trailing off. "It's just… like I'm lost. I hate being like this; I'm a monster! Sure, Tornstar's training strengthened me, but it also weakened me. It's like he drained me of my emotion."

Applepaw stared as he went on. "_I_ don't even want to be the cat I am now, and neither should you." Stormfire leered at Applepaw as he went on. "I'm telling you take tomorrow off; get plenty of rest and make sure you eat, understand?"

"Yes, Stormfire." Applepaw mewed, his voice full of gratitude. His gaze turned on him, and they were full of warmth.

"Good." Stormfire purred. Relief washed over him, making him weak. But there was another feeling, a small spark inside him that made him feel weird. He couldn't quite name it, but it was definitely there. "Let's get down from here." he encouraged, nosing Applepaw to his paws. Together the two scrambled down the tree, landing lightly on the forest floor.

"Thanks, Stormfire." Applepaw mewed once they had landed. His eyes were shining with gratitude, and his ears were flat against his head.

"Don't mention it." Stormfire returned, laying on the ground. He was exhausted, and right now the only thing he wanted was to sleep. Applepaw was clearly thinking the same; he crouched next to him and rested his head on his paws.

"I've been meaning to ask you," the ginger apprentice mewed. "About your fight; what did you do to those guys?"

"What do you mean?" Stormfire pressed, confused. What was Applepaw talking about? He waited for the apprentice's answer.

"I mean; it looked like you killed them…" the apprentice mewed, his voice trailing off. "Did you?"

"No," Stormfire answered, his voice full of amusement. "I don't kill. I just knocked them unconscious – blood-loss."

"Oh." Applepaw straightened up, curling his tail around his paws. "What about-"

He broke off at the sound off rustling nearby. Both toms turned their heads towards a bush, its branches quivering as a cat padded through.

It was Darkflower.

The tabby she-cat came to sit beside the two toms, fixing a glare on Applepaw – a signal for him to leave.

"Oh, come on!" Applepaw hissed, his eyes sparking with annoyance. He got to his paws and headed into the forest. "I'll see you later, Stormfire." He flicked his tail as he swerved around a tree.

"What now?" Stormfire asked, turning his attention towards Darkflower; irritated. It seemed that whenever he wanted to talk with Applepaw, she showed up. Couldn't he and his apprentice have a decent conversation?

"I'm just checking up on you," Darkflower mewed, her voice carrying mock innocence. "How about you and I do a little sparring?" She unsheathed her claws, slowly drawing them in the dirt. Her pelt was bristling, and her eyes were glowing with blood-thirst.

"No, thanks," Stormfire sighed. "I'm a bit tired, maybe some other time." His training with Applepaw had exhausted him; he felt like he could sleep for a moon!

Darkflower's eyes flashed briefly, her gaze sparking with rage. Stormfire flinched, but the look vanished so fast he wondered if he imagined it. Darkflower got to her paws and began trotting into the forest.

"Okay, then," she mewed, her voice like ice. "Some other time." Her voice was dripping with malice, and it sent a jolt of fear through Stormfire's body. What did Darkflower mean with her statement? Not wanting to find out, Stormfire quickly got to his paws and began padding into forest, the mist swirling over the floor engulfing him.

_Guess I'll have to watch my back_, he thought; the fur along his spine lifting. But he didn't feel like thinking of that now, he wanted to see if he could find Applepaw. _Applepaw_, Stormfire thought. _My best friend... _The thought of the ginger apprentice sent a warm feeling through Stormfire's body, and he padded more briskly through the forest.

_Huh_, he thought, a small smile spreading across his face. _Maybe I'm not so emotionless after all…_

**Well, isn't that sweet…? Hey guys! I'm back! Finished up everything for school – just thought I should surprise you guys! Looks like the relationship between Stormfire and Applepaw is growing… **

** Anyway, just a reminder – Darkflower isn't my character; she belongs to Flamestar00, all credit for her goes to him/her. I'll try to get another chapter of The Sweet of Amber in, maybe Legend of Bloodclaw. Until then, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

** Toxic out!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Stormfire padded along side his clanmates, frost glittering at his paws. _My first Gathering… _he thought, his fur bristling. It was leaf-bare, snow falling gently from the sky. It crunched underneath Stormfire's paws, chilling him to the bone. His clanmates clearly felt the same; they were all huddled closely, their fur fluffed up against the cold. Stormfire thought of joining them, but quickly banished the thought. He would most likely be met with glistening claws and teeth. Besides, he was much better here; at the back of the group.

_I don't even want to be here_, he thought. The thought of so many cats in one place made him uncomfortable. He hoped nobody tried to talk to him. The only reason he had agreed to join was to see Applepaw. _I hope he's here._

Stormfire padded into the clearing after his clanmates. Moon light shone brightly on all cats, so much it made Stormfire's eyes hurt. After his eyes got used to the gloom, he found a spot to sit, ignoring all cats around him that were conversing.

Scanning the clearing for Applepaw, Stormfire saw the ginger apprentice on the other side of the clearing, talking to a knot of BoulderClan cats. Stormfire headed in the direction of his friend, brushing past cats as he went.

"Hey, watch it!" a cat exclaimed. Stormfire turned to see a light brown tabby tom, his amber eyes staring crossly at him. "Wait a minute…" The tom peered closely at him. "I don't know you. Who are you?"

Stormfire stared at the tom, reluctant to answer. He didn't feel like talking to strangers; he just wanted to talk to Applepaw. Finally he answered, "I'm Stormfire. I'm from DarkClan."

"Stormfire…" the tom thought a moment, narrowing his eyes. "Hey, I know you! You're the one that snapped that one apprentice's arm! What was his name? Brackenpaw?"

"Uh… yes." Stormfire answered, shuffling his paws.

The tom padded closer to him, sniffing his pelt. "Hm… you don't look so tough." He commented, flicking his tail.

Anger began bubble inside Stormfire, and his pelt began to bristle. These cats didn't know the first thing about him, and they were already making accusations! "Why don't come and see just how _tough_ I am?" he growled, unsheathing his claws.

The tom's eyes widened, he took a step back. "But, t-the truce." He stammered, flattening his ears against his head.

"I don't care about the truce." Stormfire snarled, baring his teeth. "Keep talking and you'll find that out the hard way!"

The tom backed away, disappearing into the crowd of cats. Stormfire padded on, his anger fading as he padded towards Applepaw. As he approached, Applepaw's head perked, and he turned around.

"Stormfire!" he mewed happily, eyes flashing with excitement. Applepaw flicked his tail on his friend's shoulder. He then turned his attention back towards the other cats that were crowded around him. "Hey, guys! This is my friend, Stormfire."

Several eyes turned on the silver tabby, and he felt hot beneath his pelt. He never was one for attention. He felt his fur beginning to bristle, but he forced it to lie flat. He shuffled his paws, unsure of what to do.

"Whoa," one of them mewed, amber eyes raking over Stormfire's pelt. "How'd you get all those scars?"

Stormfire was at a loss of words. How could he explain how he'd gained his scarred pelt? His mind whirled, desperately searching for an answer. He was about to mew a reply when Applepaw interrupted him.

"How do you think, Shellpaw?" he asked, flicking his tail at the cat who'd spoken; a white she-cat with amber eyes. "He's been in more battles than there are trees in the forest!" As he spoke, he gave a wink at Stormfire, and the silver tabby breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wow." Another gasped, blue eyes sparkling.

Stormfire backed away, heading into the crowd of cats. He didn't feel like talking; it made him uncomfortable. He didn't even know any of these cats! Whispering a hasty 'goodbye' to Applepaw, Stormfire padded back into the crowd.

Dark clouds wisped overhead, illuminated by the moon's light. Stars twinkled in the night sky, cold air gently stirring the cats' fur. On the Great Rock, the leaders padded over to stand at the edge. Stormfire sat near the back of the crowd of cats – a place where no one would talk to him. He waited for the meeting to begin.

Tornstar let out a yowl, and all cats fell silent. His brown glowed in the moonlight, his green eyes shimmering.

"The meeting has started," he declared. "Let the Gathering begin."

"DarkClan is doing well. As you know, leaf-bare is upon us, and prey is scarce. Besides this, though, we are doing well."

Tornstar said no more. Retreating from the rock, he let another leader take his place.

_He didn't mention me_, Stormfire thought, flicking his ear.

The leader that approached was a tom, his light-brown pelt rippling with muscle. He stood at the edge of the rock.

"LeafClan is also well." he meowed, sweeping his gaze across the clearing of cats. "We are proud to announce to announce that we have a new apprentice; Driftpaw."

Stormfire craned his neck to see a gray she-cat with brown splotches along her fur. She ducked her head in embarrassment, though Stormfire could see her eyes shining.

The rest of the Gathering went by quickly, with BoulderClan reporting a fox near their territory and MoonClan announcing that they had two new kits; Starkit and Silverkit. Once the meeting was over, the Clans began dispersing, few cats saying last minute goodbyes to each other. Stormfire scanned the clearing for Applepaw, but to no avail. Joining back with his Clan, they padded silently home.

The journey was a long one; cats' paws crunching the snow, pelts fluffed, bodies shivering. Finally, they reached the camp, Stormfire padding straight for the warriors' den. Tornstar had finally agreed to let him sleep inside the camp, and he was grateful. The forest would be especially cold; sleeping outside would be a nightmare. Curling into his nest, Stormfire let himself drift into sleep.

Instead of finding himself in the mist of the Dark Forest, Stormfire could see he was in a grassy clearing. Bright sunshine came down from above, dazzling his eyes. Cool wind ruffled his fur, clouds swirling overhead. Trees and bushes rustled gently in the breeze, creating a lush, peaceful environment. Prey-scent flooded Stormfire's nostrils, and his mouth began to water.

_Where am I?_ he thought.

"Hello, Stormfire."

Stormfire whipped around, staring at a silhouetted shape hiding behind a bush. The cat's scent was achingly familiar, but he couldn't quite put his paw on who it might be.

"Who are you?" he growled, unsheathing his claws. If this cat posed any threat, he'd rip them to shreds. Stormfire dropped into a crouch, his tail swaying from side to side.

The cat padded out from behind the bush, and Stormfire gasped. He instantly sheathed his claws and relaxed his crouch, eyes wide with disbelief. His tail stopped swaying, instead freezing in mid-air at what stood in front of him. Eyes welling with tears, he almost at once recognized the shimmering, golden pelt, white paws, and icy blue eyes.

It was Featherheart.

**Alright, Stormfire… You've suffered enough; I'll cut you a break. **

** Hope you guys like the chapter! Tell me what you think of Featherheart's reappearance! Plenty more is going to come out of this story, so get prepared! And don't think I've forgotten about Darkflower's words, or Stormfire's revenge against Tornstar…**

** Anyway, I want to thank you guys for all your support; it means a lot! You all get a hug! Especially you, Storm – you inspired me to write this. You get a BIG hug. Like seriously… I squeeze the life out of you… XD**

** Furthermore, if you haven't checked out my rewrite for Silver Legend, titled A Twisted Path, you should definitely go see that… I know what it says, but I might change it. Maybe I'll do that and this story together – I don't know. I might not delete it, instead writing it alongside this. But if I do, and you decide to read both, don't complain about me making that so much better than this. I realize that this story could really use a rewrite, so that's what I'm going to do.**

** Anyway… I look forward to your comments! More chapters for The Sweet of Amber and Legend of Bloodclaw coming soon! Until then, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

** Toxic out!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Stormfire stood rigid; frozen. He wanted to move, but he felt rooted to the ground. Instead he stared in shock at Featherheart's glistening frame, her eyes sparkling.

"It's been a while." She meowed, sitting and curling her tail neatly around her paws.

Stormfire felt his mouth go dry. He didn't know what to say. What _could_ he say? He sat there, tears falling gently to the ground, his heart racing. It'd been a long time since he last saw Featherheart; he didn't think he'd ever see her again – or that she wanted to see him. He'd strayed so far from who he used to be. Who would want to be friends with a cat like him?

"I've been watching you." Featherheart continued, her blue eyes staring into his amber gaze. "And I must say I'm very worried. You've become very dangerous; straying so far from the cat that you used to be – the cat I know you still are." She padded closer until she stood a tail-length in front of Stormfire. "Something's troubling you, but you won't express yourself… Who are you?"

Stormfire could tell her question was genuine. It wasn't laced with fear, instead carrying a wisdom that seemed far beyond his own.

He stared at Featherheart, feeling his heart quicken. Who was he? He didn't know. So much had happened to him, and he'd kept it all inside. Most things he even kept from Applepaw. Now was a chance for him to reveal everything. He felt himself growing hot, feelings rising inside of him. He felt like a leaf, overflowing with emotions.

"I don't know!" Stormfire wailed, unsheathing his claws. He paced back and forth, lashing his tail as he went.

"So much has happened! I hate Tornstar for what he did to you, and I hate myself for letting it happen. I'm lost; I don't know what to do! I just have so much anger – it's all I feel. It's gotten me this far; maybe it can get me through the rest of my life." He stopped and stood in front of Featherheart, eyes glistening with pain.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is… I _really_ miss you. And I need you."

Featherheart said nothing. Instead she looked into Stormfire's eyes, finding mixed emotions in his gaze. Then, purring, she pressed her pelt against his.

Stormfire gasped. It'd been a long while since he felt something that was actually comforting. He was so used to feeling claws against his pelt instead of fur. Standing rigid, he froze, not knowing what to do.

After a few moments, Featherheart pulled away, her whiskers twitching.

"I understand that these are hard times for you," she mewed, "but that doesn't justify your actions.

"You're headed down a dark path, Stormfire. And if you don't change your ways soon, I'm afraid you'll end up in the place you visit every night."

Stormfire felt his heart lurch. Him, in the Dark Forest? The thought had never occurred to him. In fact, the idea didn't seem so bad to him… He'd be able to fight until his heart's content – to have the feeling of blood on his claws… But he couldn't. Being apart from Featherheart for such a time as that seemed unimaginable. Besides, the longing look in her eyes; the worry, he didn't want her to feel like this.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

Featherheart shook her head. "I can't tell you what you need to do – you must figure that out for yourself. But…" she hesitated, kneading the ground with her paws. "I want you to promise me you'll be careful."

Stormfire padded closer. He brushed his muzzle close to her ear and whispered: "I promise."

Featherheart's didn't say anything, but Stormfire could hear her purring. She brushed her muzzle against his. "It's time for me to go." she whispered.

"No, you can't!" Stormfire wailed. His heart beat faster, thudding so hard he thought it might leap from his chest. His fur bristled, and he flattened his ears against his head. "You just got here!"

"I know." Featherheart mewed sadly, avoiding his gaze. "There's still so much I want to do – I don't want to leave you. But I have to." She stroked his back with her tail.

"I'm going," she meowed, "but I'm not leaving. I'll be watching over you, guiding you from StarClan." Slowly pulling from him, she began padding away, slinking through the undergrowth.

"Wait!" Stormfire yowled, chasing after her. He was catching up, but her image was already fading. By the time he reached her, she'd faded completely.

Stormfire halted. Featherheart's presence seemed to remain, and he drunk in her lingering scent. Closing his eyes, he imagined her still standing before him, blue eyes glowing warmly. _I'll be guiding you. _Her words kept repeating in his mind, soothing the pain in his heart.

_I'll miss you,_ he thought, hoping Featherheart could hear him. Tasting her scent for a moment more before it vanished, he opened his eyes and stared around in horror.

The trees around him had suddenly turned black, their horrid bodies twisting unnaturally in the air. A thick, red liquid began oozing from the ground, lapping hungrily at Stormfire's paws. The salty tang of blood filled the air, filling his nostrils, blotting out everything. A black mist crawled along the floor from the undergrowth, which had turned a dark shade of gray. There was death-scent flowing sickeningly from the mist as it eased toward Stormfire, making him back away in fear.

_NO! Leave me alone!_ He wailed inwardly. He tried to move, but his paws were rooted to the ground, locking him in place.

Eyes wild with terror, Stormfire waited for the mist to engulf him.

But just as it seemed the putrid fog would wrap around him, it instead _enveloped_ around him – almost as if there were some sort of invisible shield surrounding him. Stormfire looked around, surprised. Before he could say anything, he felt Featherheart's presence, her sweet scent comforting him.

"A heart's light will vanquish all shadows of evil," she whispered, her breath stirring his ear fur. "Follow your heart, Stormfire, not your claws." Saying no more, she vanished, leaving Stormfire trembling with the forest slowly returning back to the way it was before.

Stormfire woke with a jolt, his heart thudding painfully against his chest. Sunlight was streaming into the warriors' den, leaving dappled shadows across the sandy floor. Clan chatter could be heard through the wall of the den, cats discussing news from the Gathering. The smell of fresh-kill filled Stormfire's nostrils, and he felt his mouth water. Padding from the den, he headed to the heap of prey, sending a small prayer to Featherheart as he went.

_Don't worry, I'll be careful. I promise._

** Yeah; it's short – I know. Okay, so… After careful consideration, (and discussion with my family) I have decided to write A Twisted Path alongside this without deleting either of them. So, now you guys get to enjoy the full experience of Silver Legend, with bonuses in A Twisted Path. **

** With that being said, now we can drop the whole deleting stories and comment thing. I'm really exciting with what's going to happen to Stormfire in the future – you should be, too. I may even have him build his relationship with Featherheart… over the line of friendship. What do you guys think? Should Stormfire and Featherheart be together, or should he find someone else? Let me know in your reviews.**

** As always, I look forward to your reviews! No updates coming this weekend; travelling. Maybe I'll update between Tuesday and Friday. Until then, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

** Toxic out!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Stormfire stood gasping, his fur sticking out in clumps, mud plastered to his fur. His muscles burned, and he felt weak with exhaustion, fighting to catch his breath. Eerie light cast down shadows on the misty floor, silhouetting the dark, twisted trees that curled around the clearing. There was blood-scent nearby, and Stormfire could hear cats yowling with both fury and agony in the distance. Sucking in a gasp of air, he charged forward.

Slamming into his opponent, he shoved him to the ground, placing his paws on his neck. His competitor swept his back legs, causing him to lose his balance. Quickly recovering, he wasn't ready for the blow that came to his head, leaving him dazed. His attacker then sprang on him, knocking him to the ground and pinning him. Stormfire writhed viciously, but he couldn't shake off his opponent.

"Give up?" his enemy mewed, eyes sparkling with pride.

"Yeah, yeah, just let me up." He countered. Getting to his paws, he shook out his fur. "Gosh, Applepaw, you've gotten strong."

The ginger tom's eyes were glowing. "You think so?" he mewed, tail swaying from side to side.

"I _know_ so." Stormfire replied, shaking a forepaw. He winced as he placed it down on the ground.

"You okay?" Applepaw asked.

Stormfire only replied with a twitch of his ears. He didn't hurt too badly, but enough to keep him off his paws for the rest of the night. Applepaw had really grown in the past quarter moon. He was a little shorter than Stormfire, ears coming up to his eyes. He was bulky despite his size, lean muscle rippling beneath his sleek fur. _He'll make a great warrior_, Stormfire reflected.

"Is that all for today?" Applepaw asked, twitching his whiskers. Stormfire gave nod, and the tom gave an enormous yawn.

"In that case, I'll see you tomorrow." He meowed, padding through the forest, ginger tail swishing through a bramble bush. Stormfire found his own direction, making sure to avoid the fighting bouts that were going on. He didn't want to get involved in any fights; he intended on keeping his promise to Featherheart.

He'd done well so far; avoiding fights and only training with Applepaw – he didn't want things to get out of hand. He even kept his claws sheathed. Some cats in the forest were starting to view him as weak, but he didn't care. He made a promise, and he intended to keep it – no matter what. Finding a nice spot to relax, he curled up and went to sleep, feeling the Dark Forest fade around him.

**(TL)**

Stormfire woke, early dawn light filtering through the bramble walls of the warriors' den. Looking around, he could see that most of his clanmates were asleep, bodies curled up on the floor. Ignoring them, and padding around them so as not to wake them, Stormfire exited the den and padded toward the fresh-kill pile. Picking out a mouse, he sat down to eat.

The sun was just peeking over the horizon, the edge a light pink with the sky being a fairly dark shade of purple. Trees twirled high into the sky, with birdsong being carried throughout the forest. Thick wisps of cloud stretched across the sky, appearing golden in the early light.

_I wonder what today will bring_, Stormfire reflected, taking a thoughtful bite of his mouse. He'd been avoiding Tornstar, his anger keeping him from his former mentor. He still hadn't forgiven his leader for murdering Featherheart, even though her death had been considerably long ago. He sometimes visited his friend in dreams, but they were always short, often leaving him with a longing he couldn't describe. He felt empty, like a leaf with a hole in it, all experiences just seeping through.

Finishing the last of his mouse, Stormfire got to his paws and began padding towards the entrance, anticipation gnawing at his pelt. He wanted to practice some battle moves, to sharpen his skills a little. There was no telling when he was going to need it…

Hearing the clatter of stone, Stormfire caught sight of Tornstar, his brown, scarred pelt padding from the hollowed rock to his den. He caught sight of Stormfire, and his eyes lit up. "Stormfire! Where are you off to?"

Ignoring his leader's question, Stormfire padded briskly through the tunnel to the entrance. He felt his fur beginning to bristle. What did his leader want? Stormfire was aware of his leader following him, leaves crunching beneath his paws.

"Stop, Stormfire." Tornstar ordered; a snarl in his voice. Fur pricking with fury, Stormfire obeyed.

"What?" he growled, unsheathing his claws. His tail lashed from side to side, his anger rolling off him in waves.

"I don't like being ignored," his leader growled, baring his teeth. Wind blew, ruffling the cats' fur. Prey-scent lay thick in the air, their smell tantalizing. Leaves rustled overhead, the green surfaces fluttering to the floor.

"Well, what do you want, then?" Stormfire hissed, flattening his ears against his head. His eyes burned with hatred, his heart racing with rage. His claws were itching – he needed a fight. He glared menacingly at Tornstar, teeth bared, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

"You should show a little more respect." Tornstar warned, unsheathing his claws. There was annoyance in his eyes, his pelt beginning to fluff up.

"You lost all my respect when you killed Featherheart!" Stormfire shouted, his fangs glistening in the early dawn light.

Tornstar said nothing; just sat staring at his former apprentice. After a few moments, he spoke. "You think you know everything, don't you?" he asked, an edge to his voice. His tail-tip was twitching, ears flicking back and forth.

"I don't know everything," Stormfire insisted, lashing his tail. "But I know _enough_." Even though his words were dripping with fury, and small seed of uncertainty sprouted inside him; what was Tornstar talking about? He'd killed Featherheart, that's all there was to it… right? What more was there to know?

Tornstar sighed, his head hanging. He suddenly looked a lot older, his shoulders hunched. "I can't say anything right now; you're not ready yet. But when you are, then you'll realize why I did what I did." He turned and stalked off, his legs moving stiffly over the ground.

Stormfire huffed angrily, stalking off into the forest, pelt fluffed. He came to rest against a tree, breathing heavily. After a few moments he whipped around, slashing his claws across the bark, yowling furiously.

"I hate my life!" he screeched, tearing at the tree until his paws began bleeding, the red liquid dropping to the floor. He slumped to the ground, sobbing, tears streaming from his eyes. Why did everything have to be so horrible for him? All his life, he'd only wanted to fit in with the rest of his clan – to be accepted. But, in his heart, he knew that was never going to happen.

Why did his whole clan have to hate him? His whole life had been decided for him – all because of a stupid prophecy! Stormfire began bubbling with rage, his breath coming in quick huffs. This was _StarClan's_ fault. If they hadn't come up with this idiotic omen, this wouldn't be happening to him! He'd be playing with Featherheart, looking forward to coming home to his parents, their eyes glowing warmly at him.

_Why?! _He screeched inwardly, his heart racing. He clenched his teeth, biting so hard he felt blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Fury was burning inside him, being fueled by his hatred of how miserable his life was. _I'm alone_. _No one wants me here._

Curling into a ball, Stormfire suddenly detected a familiar scent nearby. _You know that isn't true,_ Featherheart's soft mew echoed in his mind. I _want you here. _Her voice faded along with her scent, Stormfire's anger slowly fading.

_I'm sorry. _He whispered, laying his head to the ground. He only wanted someone by his side – someone to help him along this difficult journey. He needed _someone_: he needed Featherheart. But she was dead.

And it was all Tornstar's fault.

Despite the hatred that crept into Stormfire's heart, he couldn't help but feel confused. Tornstar's words echoed in his mind. _When you're ready, you'll find out why I did what I did. _

Just what had the brown leader meant by that statement?

** All right, guys, not going to lie – this was kind of rushed. There is a bit of foreshadowing in here: with me talking about never knowing when Stormfire was going to need his skills…**

** Anyway, hope you guys liked the chapter! Look forward to your comments! I've listened to your (two) comments about Stormfire's mate. She may be coming soon, or maybe **_**much**_** later…**

** That's it for today! Updates coming soon! Until then, turn that spark of yours into a flame… (New outro)**

** Toxic out!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey, guys, Toxic here. Okay, I know I haven't been updating lately; technical difficulties. I'm back now though, and I'm pretty excited with how this story is going to play out.**

**I've tried another style of writing, let me know what you guys think of it. Now, on with the story.**

Chapter 13

Stormfire woke, sleepily blinking his eyes against the light of the early morning sun. The rays of sunshine stabbed at his eyes, temporarily blinded him until his eyes adjusted. Cats were sleeping all about in the den, bodies curled in their nests. Snores filled the air, the warmth of their bodies emanating into the surrounding atmosphere. Giving a snort, Stormfire got shakily to his paws, exhaustion dragging him down.

He'd trained hard yesterday, practicing battle moves. He'd worked from sunrise to sunset, not stopping until his muscles burned with agony, their stiffness gripping him like flaming claws, searing his flesh. His whole body ached as if it were aflame, his flesh withering, muscles tearing. Staring down at his paws, Stormfire saw that his paws were bloody; the red liquid caked all around his arms, claws throbbing with affliction. He padded outside, hissing as he made his way to the fresh-kill pile. Picking a squirrel, he saw down to eat.

The rich flavors of the creature danced on his tongue, the meat sending bolts of energy throughout his body. Stormfire felt power course through him, his pain forgotten; ardor pulsing beneath his fur. He tore into his prey, relishing at the feel of blood sliding down his throat, meat tearing between his sharp fangs. Finishing the last of the squirrel, Stormfire stood, heading for the camp entrance. Few cats were starting to awake, casting glares at him as he went. He didn't care. He knew the only reason they hated him was because they feared him. Their hostility was just a mask, vainly shading the terror that raced through their veins every time they laid eyes on him.

But Stormfire had no intention of confirming their suspicion. He'd become the best warrior the forest had ever seen, his name going down in legend, told to generation upon generation. He'd let these evil cats live with what they did, to drown in their own shame, to choke on their remorse.

_I'll never let them forget what they did to me_, he vowed silently, unsheathing his claws and digging them into the earth. A growl rumbled deep in his throat, reverberating throughout his body, making his bones vibrate. His heart began pounding with fury, the feeling sending waves of pleasure coursing through him. Stormfire swished through the bramble entrance of the camp, stalking through the forest, his rage scorching anything and everything around him. He felt arid, the sun that was his anger drying out his lake of mercy, leaving nothing but hard relentlessness.

He was a former shell of himself, hollowed by rage, all remnants of who he was before leaking from his body. He was merciless, the feeling of power making him shiver, lashing his tail and flexing his claws. He was bubbling with energy; he had to expel it somehow. Stormfire launched himself forward, legs pumping as he sped through the forest, claws digging into the earth and pushing him onward. The landscape was a blur, trees whizzing past him as he ran, bushes whipping at his pelt, scraping his flesh, cutting him as he went.

He felt alive; better than he felt in a long time. Wind rushed through his fur, flattening his pelt and his ears, whiskers brushing his muzzle.

Finally, after he could run no more, Stormfire came to a stop, gasping and wheezing. His fur was matted with twigs and leaves, blood oozing from cuts along his flank. He didn't care. His heart was pounding, and this time it wasn't from anger or rage. His muscles were burning, warmth blazing throughout his body, the sensation feeling incredible.

Stormfire's heart slowed, the kindling inside him slowly turning arctic, the innervation gone. He felt cavernous once more, all sensations dripping from his soul, reverting him back to his monstrous self. He felt his claws unsheathe, their longing to sink into something unbearable. Stormfire sunk them into the ground, fear crawling through his spine. What had he become? He was savage, his old self left to drown in his resentment. He needed to take his mind off things, to get rid of the hunger for blood that was rapidly consuming him.

_I'll patrol the borders_, he thought, trying hard not to think of slashing his claws through flesh. He trotted through the forest, frantically trying to reminisce about Featherheart, her icy blue eyes gazing at him warmly. Her soft fur brushing against his, silk-like against skin that had endured nothing but harshness. Her voice as smooth as honey, speaking tenderly with all the warmth in the world. But, no matter how hard he tried, his mind always wavered back to the thought of bloodshed, of agonized screams erupting from his enemies.

Stormfire shook his head, terrified. His mind had become shrouded, engulfed in darkness. Was this what Featherheart had warned him about? His temple crumbling until it was nothing but rubble? The realization of what he had become made him shiver, heart racing with fear, fur bristling. Finally, reaching the BoulderClan border, he left scent markers, making sure there was no BoulderClan scent on DarkClan territory. Finding none, he continued onward, patrolling the rest of the borders. Once he was finished, he padded back in the direction to the camp, grudgingly setting one paw in front of the other.

He hated going back to the place that made him what he was. As the bramble entrance came into sight, their appearance seemed like that of claws, hungrily reaching out, trying to rip at his pelt. Tree roots appeared like gnarled limbs desperately trying to wrap themselves around Stormfire's legs, dragging him below the ground. A growl escaped his jaws as he stalked through the entrance, met with stares and bared teeth from his clan-mates as he walked past. Stormfire heard a rustling nearby, and turned to see Tornstar emerging from his den, pelt shining in the light, crisscrossed with scars.

"Stormfire," the brown leader called, leaping down from the outcrop of rock leading to his den. "How about you come with me to patrol some borders?" Tornstar's eyes were glittering, his tail swishing back and forth on the sandy ground.

Stormfire's heart began thudding with fury, his claws becoming itchy in their sheathes, longing to escape their prison. His muscles tensed, willing him to bunch his legs and leap forward, claws ripping and tearing at Tornstar's throat. He wanted to claw the look off his leader's face, to beat him until he was nothing more than a slumped pile of bleeding fur.

He kept his composure though, swallowing his anger, saving it for another time. Calmly, he spoke, voice icily cold. "I already checked them, no signs of invasion."

The look in Tornstar's eyes wavered, now shining with something else, though Stormfire didn't care to find out what. "Then how about you and I do some sparring?"

Stormfire was surprised at his leader's question. He wanted to spar with him, when he knew very well how much he hated him? He suppressed the waves of anticipation that rose inside him, extinguishing the fire that blazed inside his body. However much he wanted a fight, he was still skeptical about his leader's intentions. Why was Tornstar suddenly so focused on him fighting all the time? He and Darkflower had been acting very strangely, always willing him to get into a battle of some kind. Despite his suspicions, however, Stormfire wasn't going to miss an opportunity like this. Now was a chance for him to let out all his anger on his leader, to express his frustrations by brutally clawing the life from his former mentor's body.

"Sure," he meowed, voice dripping with malice, making no intent to hide it. "Let's go now."

The two padded through the entrance, Stormfire flexing his claws the whole way. It was sunhigh now, bright light streaming from the sky, intensely lighting the ground below. Birdsong echoed throughout the forest, cool breezes stirring the trees and shrubs. The undergrowth was alive with prey, creatures scuttling and rustling leaves as they went.

Finally, the two reached a clearing with a few tufts of long grass here and there. Tornstar settled in the center, Stormfire a few fox-lengths from him.

"Alright," the leader meowed. "Let's begin."

Without warning, Stormfire charged forward, slamming into Tornstar, knocking the leader to the floor. Tornstar rolled to the side, narrowly missing Stormfire's strike across his face, his claws striking dirt instead. The brown leader leaped, clawing Stormfire across the shoulder as he landed, blood splattering on the ground.

Stormfire hardly felt the blow. Rage flowing through his body, he clawed Tornstar across the head, the leader falling to the ground. Stormfire then leaped on top of his former mentor and sunk his teeth into his shoulder, blood welling in his mouth. Tornstar yowled and threw him off, blood dripping from his wound.

Stormfire got to his paws, a tuft of Tornstar's fur in his mouth. He spat it out, a growl gurgling in his throat, eyes blazing with blood-thirst. Charging forward, he rolled to the side, lunging at Tornstar and bowling him over. Stormfire soon had his leader pinned, claws glistening against his throat.

Tornstar reared up and sank his teeth into the side of Stormfire's neck, ripping a tuft of fur as Stormfire wrenched his neck free. Tornstar then kicked the silver tabby in the stomach, the breath driven from his body, and forced him off. The two glared at each other, eyes burning.

"I see you've gotten you're edge back." Tornstar purred, his eyes glowing.

With a hiss, Stormfire swiped a paw at the brown tom's muzzle, his claws meeting with flesh, scattering blood on the ground. Tornstar landed heavily in the dirt, Stormfire leaping on top of him. He sunk his teeth into the back of the leader's neck, claws hooked into his back. Tornstar wailed, viciously thrashing beneath the tabby's grip, making him bite down harder.

Raising a paw, Stormfire clawed his former mentor on the back of the head. Tornstar fell silent, his struggles coming to a halt, lying still on the floor.

"I win." Stormfire growled, letting the brown tom up. He shook blood from his fur, watching it drip onto the ground, soaking the dirt.

Tornstar got to his paws, bleeding heavily from his wounds. His eyes were dull, his breath coming in gasps. Stormfire couldn't help but feel a rush of dark satisfaction. After a few moments, the brown cat recovered, twitching his ears as he gazed steadily at his former apprentice.

"You could have killed me with that last blow," Tornstar meowed, staring skeptically at Stormfire. "Why didn't you?"

Stormfire felt a low growl gurgling in his throat. He flattened his ears against his head, eyes blazing. "Because no matter what you do, you can never make me forget that a warrior doesn't need to kill to win battles."

Tornstar's eyes sparked with something, and he stood. He padded slowly over to Stormfire, not stopping until his nose was no more than a mouse-length from his.

"You want to bet?" he growled.

Stormfire clamped his mouth shut, biting down hard. He was fighting hard no to lash out and sink his teeth into Tornstar's throat. With a hiss, he spun around and stalked into the forest.

Heart racing, he sat near a tree and relaxed, his breath slowing, heart calming. He took a deep breath, flattening his ears against his head. Why was Tornstar doing this to him? _Simple_, he thought_, he's trying to turn me into something I'm not – something I'll never be. _He pictured Tornstar's burning emerald gaze, his claws glinting wickedly in the sunlight.

Stormfire's own words echoed in his mind. _You can never make me forget that a warrior doesn't need to kill to win a battle. _That was something Featherheart had taught him, something she'd always told him.

That was something he intended to never forget.

** Alright, guys! That's enough for now. I'm working on another chapter for The Sweet of Amber; I've neglected that story. **

**Anyway, I look forward to your reviews! Until then, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

** Toxic out!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Come on, Applepaw!" Stormfire called, striking the apprentice on the side of the head, his claws sheathed. "You're fighting like a kit!"

Applepaw staggered from the impact. Shaking his head, he leaped, paws outstretched.

Stormfire dodged easily, Applepaw instead landing clumsily in the dirt. Stormfire leaped on top of him, pinning the apprentice with his paws pressed down on his neck.

"I win – _again_." Stormfire growled, letting Applepaw up. "Are you okay?" he asked. Applepaw had seemed very distant the past few days, hardly focusing on his training, and not trying very hard when he did. Now the apprentice sat in the dirt, black mist swirling around his paws. He was staring ahead, a glazed look in his eyes.

"Applepaw!" Stormfire called. The apprentice flicked his ears, but he didn't reply. He looked far away, like he was dreaming.

Or remembering something _dreamy_.

With a jolt, Stormfire realized what was going on with Applepaw. Stifling an amused purr, he trotted over and sat near the apprentice, curling his tail over his paws. "Alright, who is it?"

Applepaw instantly snapped to attention, staring at Stormfire nervously. "Who is who?"

"The cat you like." Stormfire replied. He lay on the ground, twitching his whiskers.

Applepaw avoided his friend's gaze, shuffling his paws in the dirt. "I don't know what you're talking about." he murmured.

"Oh, come on, Applepaw." Stormfire meowed. He flicked Applepaw's ear with his tail, amusement fizzing beneath his pelt. "You've been distant these past few days. You don't pay attention when I'm trying to teach you battle moves, and when we spar you act like you've just come out of the nursery. You're always staring off into the distance with that glazed look in your eyes. Obviously you like someone."

Applepaw didn't reply. Instead he stared at the ground, ears flat against his head.

"What's her name?" Stormfire pressed, tail swaying in the air.

Still no answer.

"Is she nice?" he questioned.

"Could we please not talk about this now?" Applepaw snapped. His mew was sharp, but it didn't affect Stormfire in any way. He flicked his ears.

"Sure," he meowed, a slight edge to his voice. "But you know I'm going to keep questioning until I get an answer, right?"

Applepaw sighed, and he cast an exasperated look at Stormfire. "You sound like my Mom." He mewed, annoyed. "Fine, I'll tell you." He lay down, resting his head on his paws. "Her name is Icepaw, she's really pretty. She's fun to hang around; nice, smart, and funny." His eyes glazed over again, and he started to purr, his ears flicking.

"How close are you guys?" Stormfire inquired, his tail twitching.

"We're just friends." Applepaw returned. His eyes suddenly carried a pained look, a hint of sorrow in their depths.

"What's wrong with that?" Stormfire asked.

"I want to be more than that!" Applepaw meowed, raising his head to meet Stormfire's gaze. "What do you think I should do?"

Stormfire flinched, caught off guard by the question. "How should I know?" he replied, his ear flicking. "I'm not the romantic type, in case you hadn't noticed." He mewed, flicking his tail at the scars that ran along his body. Applepaw rested his head on his paws again, looking sulkily ahead.

"Just be yourself." Stormfire encouraged, flicking his friend's ear with his tail. "I'm sure she'll like you plenty for who you are." He got to his paws and began padding away.

"You're leaving?" Applepaw asked, getting to his paws. He trotted over to Stormfire and planted himself next to the silver tabby.

"Yes." Stormfire mewed. "I still have some moves I want to work on. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure." Applepaw mewed, leading the way through the mist. He curved around a bush, disappearing behind a tree.

Stormfire was about to follow when he heard a snap behind him. Turning around, he saw a pair of amber eyes staring at him. Stormfire squinted, trying to get a better look at the cat that was staring at him. He padded closer, but the pair of eyes disappeared, mist clouding around where a body had once been. Padding even closer, Stormfire picked up a scent, but he didn't recognize it. Shrugging, thinking it was just a vision, he turned around and plunged through the undergrowth after Applepaw.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Stormfire woke from his sleep, bright sunlight falling onto his eyes. He blinked, getting used to the glare. Grunting with the effort, he pushed himself to his paws, wincing a little at the stiffness that stabbed at his leg. He and Applepaw had practiced battle moves yesterday, and now his whole body felt stiff and strained.

Stormfire padded out of the warriors' den, feeling a small wave of pleasure as the early sun struck his pelt. Despite the welcoming rays, however, he couldn't help but feel his mind whirl. His mind drifted back to the night with Applepaw, the night he saw those amber eyes watching him. He couldn't quite put his paw on it, but somehow he felt that those eyes watching him would be trouble.

Stormfire stalked through the camp entrance. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do today, but he needed to think. Once a little way into the forest, he came to rest against a tree, deep in thought. Who had been the cat watching him? More importantly, why had the cat been watching him? _Could it have been one of Applepaw's friends? _Stormfire wondered. He quickly dismissed the thought. If it were one of Applepaw's friends, they wouldn't have run away…

_What reason would I give for any cat to spy on me? _He wondered. Thinking hard, he tried to imagine all he had done in the past while. So far, all he'd done was train with Applepaw. Besides the confrontation with Tornstar, there was nothing to be concerned about. _What about Darkflower? _

A sudden thought crossed Stormfire's mind, and he felt the fur along his spine lift. He drifted back to the night Darkflower had asked to spar with him. He'd refused, was that a huge mistake? _Sure, some other time… _Her tone then had sent shivers down Stormfire's spine, made his heart race with fear. Was Darkflower sending spies to him to find when she would _spar_? Despite the fear that ran through his body, Stormfire couldn't help but feel a small spark of anger. So what if he didn't feel like sparring with Darkflower? Was he not allowed to make his own decisions anymore? It seemed that every aspect of his life had been chosen for him!

Grumpily getting to his paws, Stormfire stalked back to camp, his fur bristling. _If she wants to fight me, then let her! I'll rip her to pieces!_

Stormfire was so deep in thought he hardly saw Tornstar come up in front of him. Veering sharply to the right, he stumbled, nearly falling into a patch of nettles. Regaining his balance, he turned angrily on his mentor.

"What do you want?" he growled, unsheathing his claws. "You want to fight again?" he challenged, lashing his tail.

Tornstar didn't reply. Instead, he sat down with his tail curled neatly over his paws. Stormfire could see that his leader's claws were unsheathed, he was digging them into the ground. His emerald eyes blazed, but they carried an icy calmness.

"I have no intention to fight." He meowed. His serene demeanor carried Stormfire off guard. He was so used to his leader growling and hissing, he had never seen his leader so calm. Relaxing a little, letting his fur lie flat, but his claws still unsheathed, he stared curiously at his mentor.

"What do you want, then?" he asked.

Tornstar hesitated, his tail-tip twitching slightly. "I need you to meet me in the Dark Forest tonight. If you do well with what I have planned, I may decide that you're ready."

"Ready for what?" Stormfire questioned, tilting his head slightly to one side. His eyes grazed over his former mentor, interested. Tornstar seemed older than before, his eyes weary, his form looking tired. He seemed so far away from his old self, the Tornstar Stormfire was used to. He waited patiently for the brown tom's answer.

"If you want to find out, you'll have to come and see for yourself." He stared into Stormfire eyes, looking for something that wasn't there. Stormfire held his leader's gaze, refusing to flinch under the brown tom's cruel glare. Peering closer, Stormfire thought he saw a small spark of regret in his leader's green eyes. Tornstar got to his paws and padded back to the camp, his tail dragging in the dirt, his back hunched over.

_What's gotten into him? _Stormfire wondered, flicking his ears. He padded into the forest, doubt prickling at his fur. What did Tornstar mean by Stormfire being _ready_? Frustration made his pelt bristle. Why did everything have to be so complicated? Why couldn't people be upfront with what they wanted? It seemed his whole life had to be a jumble of puzzles and quizzes. Shaking his head, he padded on, leaves crunching softly beneath his paws. It was sunhigh now, the yellow orb floating in the sky, light shining down on the floor.

Stormfire soon came to a clearing, the floor covered in a thin layer of leaves. He padded in the center, gently pawing at the red and yellow leaves that lay there. He heaved a heavy sigh, collapsing on the soft blanket, watching the leaves flutter upwards, then spiral softly back down. A small bundle of cheerfulness woke inside of him, making him feel warm beneath his pelt. Moments like these made him feel like a kit again; no responsibilities, his only worry being when Featherheart would come back and play with him.

_Or if one of the warriors would kill me._ He thought bitterly. He quickly banished his cruel feeling, letting it drain from his body. He didn't want to be consumed by his anger again, he wanted to feel relaxed, calm. Closing his eyes, Stormfire pictured Featherheart's golden frame staring at him warmly. Breathing deeply, he sent a small prayer to StarClan, hoping they were listening.

_Featherheart, if you're listening, help me. I need you. _

Hopping to his paws, Stormfire padded back to camp, readying himself for scornful stares and angry snarls. His mind drifted back to Tornstar's cruel glare, his emerald eyes shining maliciously in the dark. _If you do well with your assessment, I may decide that you're ready. _

Questions popped into Stormfire's head once more. What was he supposed to be ready for? Whatever it was, he was going to find out tonight.

**Alright guys, that's it for now. I want to thank everyone for all their support on this story, it means a lot. The next chapter will come sometime this week, but I don't know when. **

**As always, I look forward to your comments. Shout out to Talonstar of MoonClan on his/her continued support. Talon, I want to personally thank you for your continued positive support on all of my stories, it really means a lot to me. Make sure you guys go check out some of his/her stories. **

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, I worked pretty hard on it. It took me about two hours to write. Until my next update, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

**Toxic out.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Darkness swirled around Stormfire, black fog drifting slowly along the floor. Black, twisted trees rose up into the sky, the fungus growing on their trunks sending an eerie glow along the floor. The stench of blood and death was thick in the air, and screams of pain and fury could be heard all throughout the forest.

Stormfire stalked on, apprehension making his fur bristle. His eyes kept darting side to side, waiting for something to leap out at him. Tornstar had said that he had something planned for him, it could very well be an ambush. It felt as if someone were watching him, watching his every move. Stormfire spun around, expecting to see a group of cats hissing and snarling, but saw nothing.

_This is stupid! _Stormfire thought, feeling his fur bristle. If Tornstar was planning something for him, then he could have at least told him where to meet him! _Now I have to search the whole Dark Forest until I find him!_

Stormfire continued to pad deeper into the forest, searching for any sign of Tornstar; a scent, tracks, anything. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he gave up, finding no sign of the brown tom. _Where is he?_

Suddenly, a yowl sounded in the distance. It rose above all the other screeches in the forest, sounding like a roar, though it was laced with fear. The scream sounded familiar to Stormfire, put he couldn't quite remember where he'd heard it.

The yowl came again, louder now, sounding more desperate. Stormfire listened intently, thinking hard of who could be yelling, his fur bristling with apprehension. Still thinking, Stormfire realized with a jolt who it was.

He took off, dirt churning beneath his paws, mist swirling where he had once been. He ran faster and faster, gasping for breath as he raced through the forest, following the sound of the yowling. Rounding a tree, he came to a halt, panting. His eyes widened at what lay before him.

Tornstar was standing over a dark ginger pelt, his claws unsheathed, pricking the flesh of the cat that lay beneath him. A deep growl was gurgling in the brown tom's throat, his green eyes glistening as he sunk his teeth into the back of the cat's neck, blood pooling around on the floor. The dark ginger let out another wail.

The ginger cat was Applepaw.

The ginger apprentice was writhing viciously under Tornstar's grip, trying to free himself. Tornstar hooked his claws deeper into Applepaw's back, causing the apprentice to hiss in pain. Looking up, Applepaw's gaze met with Stormfire's, and the ginger cat's eyes brightened. Tornstar followed the cat's gaze, his emerald eyes glowing when he saw the silver tabby.

"Ah, Stormfire!" Tornstar exclaimed, his mew excited. "I'm so glad you could join us."

"What are you doing?" Stormfire snarled, unsheathing his claws. He raked his eyes over Tornstar, hatred burning inside him. "What's going on?"

Tornstar swiped his tongue around his jaws. He flicked his tail, pelt bristling. "This," he meowed, digging his claws even deeper into Applepaw's flesh, "is your assessment."

"Assessment?" Stormfire echoed, confusion sprouting inside him. "I'm already a warrior!" He dug his claws into the earth, flattening his ears against his head.

"That may be true." Tornstar countered, raking his claws over Applepaw's back. Applepaw screeched in agony, vainly trying to claw free of Tornstar's grip. "But in my eyes, there are still things that you need preparing for."

"What things?" Stormfire snarled, lashing his tail. Rage was burning inside him, heating his pelt until it felt as if he were aflame. He lashed his tail angrily, his blood boiling with fury. He took a step forward, and Tornstar let out a warning growl.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He hissed, his claws latching onto the back of Applepaw's head. The apprentice whimpered, his ears flat against his head.

"Let me go!" he wailed, scrabbling with his claws at the oily ground.

"I will," Tornstar purred, his eyes glistening, "_if _Stormfire passes his assessment." He looked Stormfire in the eyes, their emerald depths sending jolts of fury through the silver tabby's body. "Here's what's going to happen." Tornstar meowed. "I've noticed you and this apprentice are close. Applepaw, right?" he questioned, looking down at the ginger apprentice. Applepaw nodded, fear coming off him in waves.

"I'm going to kill Applepaw right in front of you." Tornstar purred, swaying his tail on the oily ground. His eyes were glistening as he glared at Stormfire, carrying a sickening anticipation.

Stormfire felt his muscles stiffen. His heart was pounding, thudding in fear and anger. The look in Tornstar's eyes was like nothing he'd ever seen before, the blood-thirst in his eyes making Stormfire's blood curdle.

"Unless, of course," Tornstar went on, flicking his ears. "You kill me first." The leader's voice carried something that Stormfire didn't recognize, but it made his fur crawl.

"Either I take away the only thing you have left," Tornstar purred, licking a paw, "or you kill me and save your best friend."

Stormfire could feel his heart thudding so hard it felt it might leap out of his chest. There was no way out of this, he was going to have to act. He couldn't watch Tornstar kill Applepaw right in front of him, but he couldn't kill Tornstar; he'd made a promise to Featherheart!

Applepaw stared at Stormfire, his eyes pleading. The ginger tom's fur was matted with blood, his muzzle and ears covered in mud. Stormfire couldn't meet his friend's gaze. He was filling with emotion, feelings he couldn't control. They were leaking, flooding from his body in an unrelenting current.

Without warning, Tornstar clawed Applepaw on the back of the head. Applepaw cried out, and Tornstar clawed him again.

"You're running out of time, Stormfire." The brown tom crowed, clawing Applepaw again. Blood was pooling rapidly around Applepaw's body, and each time Tornstar clawed him his cries grew weaker, fainter.

Stormfire stared in horror as he watched his leader beat Applepaw, clawing him over and over again. Applepaw yowled in pain, scrabbling feebly at the ground, trying to set himself free.

Stormfire's heart was pounding, his mind was whirling. Rage and fear and uncertainty was rolling off him, mixing altogether to form one horrid emotion. He couldn't sit back and do nothing while his best friend was killed.

Without knowing what he was doing, Stormfire launched forward, an earsplitting roar erupting from his throat. He slammed into Tornstar, knocking the brown tom to the floor.

Tornstar looked taken off guard, surprise flickering in his gaze.

Before he had time to react, though, Stormfire sunk his teeth into the tom's throat, feeling warm blood gush into his mouth. Tornstar clawed furiously at Stormfire, slicing out clumps of fur from the side of his neck and his shoulders. Stormfire hardly felt the sensation, sinking his teeth deeper and deeper into his leader's neck until he couldn't go any further.

Tornstar screeched, desperately trying to twist free of Stormfire's grip. Stormfire planted a paw on Tornstar's shoulder and dug his claws into the tom's flesh, pressing down with all his might. Tornstar's struggles were growing weaker, his breath coming in short gasps. Blood was pouring from his neck, spilling on the floor and flowing into Stormfire's mouth. The silver tabby still had his jaws clamped on Tornstar's neck, and he didn't let go until the brown leader stopped moving.

Finally, he let go of his former mentor's neck, the brown tom's body falling limply to the ground. Blood was still flowing from the deep wounds along his neck, pooling around him. The tom's eyes were glazed over, carrying an unmistakable emptiness.

Tornstar was dead.

Stormfire backed away from Tornstar's body, his breath coming in deep gasps. He stood rigid, blood dripping from his muzzle, a low growl rumbling in his throat. He'd killed Tornstar. His mind was completely empty, not a thought crossing through. His only focus was of what he was feeling.

The strain in his muscles. The unbearable burning of his cuts. The feeling of mud plastered to his pelt. The salty tang of blood on his tongue.

It felt wonderful.

He'd never felt so alive in his life. His heart was beating wildly, his breath coming in gasps as he struggled to breathe. For a moment, he felt something he had never felt before. It was like a grim satisfaction, mixing with countless emotions, quickly engulfing him in an endless tide. It was overwhelming, the feeling inside all telling him that he needed _more._

He needed to kill something else, to feel blood pouring onto his claws, to see the life draining from someone's body. He _needed _to find something, _someone,_ to kill. His claws still unsheathed, Stormfire began padding deep into the Dark Forest, unaware of anything around him.

Suddenly he heard a gasp.

Spinning around, eyes widening in disbelief, he saw Tornstar's body convulse and shudder. The leader gasped again, then lay still. After a moment, he rose to his paws, his eyes dull and his ears flat against his head. He stood with his shoulders hunched, looking tired, as if he hadn't slept in a moon.

Stormfire stared in disbelief. How could Tornstar still be alive? Then he realized; Tornstar had more than one life.

_Fine. _Stormfire thought, a growl gurgling in his throat. _I'll kill him again, as many times as it takes before he's dead for good!_

Baring his teeth, Stormfire padded grimly toward Tornstar, flexing his claws. Tornstar didn't seem to care, instead his eyes carrying a dim acceptance. Stormfire was about to leap when a ginger pelt flashed in front of him.

It was Applepaw.

"Stormfire, stop," the apprentice mewed, his voice trembling a little. "This isn't you."

Stormfire felt rage bubbling beneath his pelt. "You know nothing about me!" he snarled, his voice dripping with some emotion he didn't recognize.

Applepaw's eyes widened, surprised at his friend's sudden change in personality. His pelt was ruffled, and Stormfire could smell fear rolling off his pelt. Despite his horror, he stood his ground, meeting his friend's gaze squarely.

"That's not true," Applepaw insisted. "I may not know everything, but I know enough to realize that this isn't you. You're not a killer, Stormfire. I won't let you turn into this monster."

_Monster. _The word echoed in Stormfire's mind, sending chills down his spine. He stared down at his paws, covered in blood, scarlet leaking onto the floor, soaking into the damp soil. His heart was thudding, his eyes burning with emotions he couldn't control. A growl was still rumbling in his throat, reverberating throughout his body. His mind was empty, completely gone, the only thing appearing inside being Tornstar's dead body lying limp on the floor. He needed to see that again, to claw the life from his leader. He needed blood, and he needed it _now._

"I'm already a monster." Stormfire growled, baring his teeth. His tail was lashing from side to side, his ears flat against his head.

Applepaw's eyes widened, his fur bristling even more. He seemed tense, like he was standing rigid. "That isn't true." He meowed, his voice coming as a whisper. "You're my friend. I can't let you do this." Applepaw's voice became harder, and he straightened up, flicking his tail. "If you want to get to him," he flicked his tail at Tornstar, "you'll have to kill me first."

Stormfire's pelt bristled in shock, his eyes narrowing in surprise. Applepaw stood his ground, staring defiantly at his friend.

Stormfire's heart suddenly began racing, pumping hard against his chest. He dug hia claws into the soil, churning up pawfuls of dirt. A snarl gurgled in his throat, making his body tremble with anger.

He couldn't bring himself to hurt Applepaw, though. He was his best friend, if he hurt him, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. Backing away slowly, he took off into the forest, mist whizzing past his face, trees blurring as he ran. Soon he came to a stop in a small clearing, gasping and heaving for breath. He lay on the ground, staring at the ground, his ears flat against his head.

Suddenly, he heard a snap. Stormfire spun around, peering in through the branches of a nearby bush, its dark leaves glistening oddly in the half-light. The branches quivered, shaking as a cat shoved its way though. A cat pushed through, her dark pelt rippling in the night sky. A growl was rumbling in her throat, and she stalked forward, lashing her tail.

"Darkflower!" Stormfire meowed, his mew surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Darkflower didn't answer. Instead, she flicked her tail, and more cats padded out of the bushes. One by one, more and more cats poured from the undergrowth before the completely encircled Stormfire, their tails lashing and teeth bared.

Stormfire's ears flicked in surprise. What was this? There were many cats, more than Stormfire had ever seen, even at a Gathering. All around him were, hissing snarling bodies, their claws flexing, glinting wickedly in the eerie light that shown from above.

"Darkflower, what is this?" Stormfire questioned, flicking his tail nervously. "What are you doing?"

Darkflower didn't answer. She sat still, curling her tail neatly over her paws. Her eyes were glowing, anticipation and blood-thirst shining in their multicolored depths. Glancing at the cats that surrounded Stormfire, she opened her mouth to speak. The word that left her mouth made Stormfire's blood run cold.

"Attack."

**Alright, I know I have some explaining to do. If you're wondering why I didn't upload this weekend – my uncle came over. Yep, a surprise visit. I hadn't seen him in a while, maybe about two years. He lives all the way up in Illinois, and… let's just say I don't. It was a wonderful surprise; I almost cried.**

**Enough with my sappy tales! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it took a lot out of me. I look forward to your reviews, I always do.**

**Until my next update, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

**Toxic out.**


	17. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

* * *

The cats rushed forward, instantly burying Stormfire beneath a massive pile of hissing, clawing bodies. Stormfire's body was lit aflame by the claws ripping into his flesh. Blood began leaking from his sides, dripping onto the floor to form small puddles.

Letting out a screech of fury, Stormfire pushed up with all four paws, flinging off his opponents. He backed away carefully, growling.

Cats were lying on the floor, stunned by the tom's sudden thrust. They were beginning to recover, lashing their tails as they came nearer to the silver tabby.

Stormfire stopped backing away, his breath coming in agonized gasps. Blood was pouring from his cuts, soaking into the cold, oily earth. His eyes burning, he let out a growl, flexing his claws.

Despite fear, however, he felt something he hadn't expected: _joy._

His heart was fluttering with happiness, his claws itching, dying to sink into warm flesh. He swiped his tongue around his jaws, longing for the taste of blood. Dropping into a crouch, he prepared for the other cats to spring.

Darkflower stepped forward, muscle rippling underneath her dark pelt. She gave a signal with her tail, and all cats around her relaxed. They sheathed their claws, lowering their hackles and sitting with their tails curled over their paws.

"Leave us." Darkflower ordered. The cats obeyed, slinking back into the undergrowth with flicks of their tails.

Darkflower turned her attention back to Stormfire, her eyes glowing. She sat with her tail curled over her paws, a growl gurgling deep in her throat.

"Stormfire, Stormfire, Stormfire." Darkflower meowed, shaking her head. "I gave you a chance, and you refused."

"What are you talking about?" Stormfire snarled, baring his teeth.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." Darkflower hissed, her eyes burning. "I gave you a chance to fight freely, to relieve you a little tension, but you refused." She sat with her tail curled over her paws. "Now you will fight for your life, or you'll die."

Darkflower licked a paw and drew it over her ear. "I suggest you get ready; I fight to the death – I don't show mercy."

Stormfire flattened his ears against his head, narrowing his eyes. He'd never fought Darkflower before, and personally, he didn't want to. He'd always been wary of her, the way her eyes glittered with blood-thirst, it made his fur crawl.

Despite his misgivings, however, he wasn't afraid. His heart leaped at the prospect of fighting, yearning for the feeling of blood on his paws. "I'm not afraid of you!" he growled at Darkflower, lashing his tail.

Darkflower stared straight into Stormfire's eyes, her gaze glowing in the half-light.

"You should be." She growled. She leaped, her claws outstretched.

Stormfire rolled to the side, Darkflower's paws instead striking earth. Growling, she swiped a paw across the tom's head.

Stormfire fell to the ground, surprised by Darkflower's strength. His ears were ringing, his vision blurred.

Darkflower pounced on top of him, her teeth glistening close to his neck. Her ears were flattened against her head, and her eyes were burning with fury. "Goodbye, Stormfire." She purred. "Rest peacefully in StarClan."

Stormfire pushed with all his might, though Darkflower's strength was too much for him. Flattening his ears against his head, he waited for Darkflower's teeth to sink into his throat.

Darkflower hissed, and the weight on Stormfire suddenly disappeared. Looking to the left, his eyes widened in surprise.

Tornstar had Darkflower pinned, his teeth flashing close to the dark tabby's neck.

"How dare you interfere?!" Darkflower snarled, throwing Tornstar off. Tornstar rolled as he hit the ground, jumping back to his paws. Before he could recover, Darkflower dealt a harsh blow to the leader's side.

Stormfire heard a horrid crunch, and Tornstar coughed, blood pouring from his mouth. The leader dropped to the floor, scarlet rapidly pooling around him, soaking into the black earth.

"That should teach you." Darkflower growled. She turned her attention back to Stormfire. "This isn't over." She snarled, backing away into a bush. The dark swallowed her whole concealing in a wave of black.

Sighing with relief, Stormfire stalked over to Tornstar. The blood was still leaking from his mouth, and his breath was coming in agonized gasps. His green gaze flickered to Stormfire, the light slowly fading from his eyes.

"She broke… my ribs." Tornstar spluttered, coughing up another mouthful of blood. "Can't… breathe."

"Why should I care?" Stormfire growled, unsheathing his claws. "You have more than one life, don't you?"

Tornstar didn't answer. He coughed again, his body convulsing. After a few moments, he lay still, his eyes glazing over.

Stormfire waited, growing more impatient with each passing heartbeat. He didn't care at all for Tornstar's wellbeing, but he was curious about what he had said.

_In my eyes, there are still things you need preparing for._

What could Stormfire possibly need preparing for? He was one of the fiercest fighters in the forest, if not the best. He'd traveled far from his old self; treading a path full of bloodshed, turning him into what he was now. Was he still so far from what Tornstar wanted him to be? What _did _Tornstar want him to be?

Tornstar suddenly gasped, his body shuddering with the revival of StarClan. His fur was still matted with blood, but his eyes shone nonetheless. He got to his paws and shook his fur, oily mud and scarlet scattering all over the floor. Coughing, he sniffed his pelt, checking for any wounds that StarClan hadn't healed.

"Two lives in one night." Tornstar muttered to himself, chuckling. "That's a new record." His gaze met Stormfire's, full of amusement. "Four left."

Stormfire felt his fur bristle, but he forced it to lie flat. Curious as he was, he had to check something first. He'd left Applepaw with Tornstar, and he couldn't shake the feeling that his leader had done something to his friend.

"Where's Applepaw?" he growled, baring his teeth.

The amusement faded from Tornstar's eyes, replaced with a thoughtful look. "I don't know. He ran off into the forest after you left, he's probably back home." The brown tom's gaze darkened, replaced by an uncharacteristic seriousness. "A deal is a deal, Stormfire. I didn't harm any more than I did in front of you. By the way." He meowed, licking a paw and dragging it over an ear. "You passed your assessment. Here's your reward.

"I suppose you're wondering what else you could possibly need preparing for." Tornstar sighed, his shoulders suddenly sagging. "Well, I believe you're ready – I'll tell you. It's time you know _everything_."

* * *

Stormfire padded through the forest, warm sunshine lighting his pelt. Tornstar had ordered that he meet him in the forest if he wanted to know everything. Despite his hate for the brown leader, Stormfire had to admit that he was curious to learn everything about his past. He'd endured so much, it was killing him to know why he had always been hated by his clan. He knew what Featherheart had told him, but he felt there was more to it.

What exactly had happened back then?

Rounding a tree, Stormfire saw Tornstar sitting in a clearing with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. His brown fur was sleek and shone in the sunshine, his eyes lighting with something Stormfire didn't recognize.

"I see you came." Tornstar meowed, flicking his ears.

"Yes, I did." Stormfire growled in return.

Tornstar sighed, his fur fluffing a little. "You could at least be a little more friendly." He meowed, his tail tip twitching. "It seems like I can't even talk to you without you hissing at me."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Stormfire snarled, his voice carrying mock sincerity. "But I'm not really friendly to those who kill my friends and ruin my life."

Tornstar was silent for a while. "Yes, about that." He meowed at last. "I have put you through much, some of the things I've done being _extremely _uncalled for." He shifted on his paws, kneading them into the ground. "So, I guess I should start with; I'm sorry, for everything."

Stormfire instantly felt fury bubble inside him. After all Tornstar had done, did he believe it could be forgotten with a simple apology?

"That means _nothing _to me." Stormfire hissed, hardly controlling his anger.

Tornstar nodded slowly, his eyes hardening. "I'm not asking for forgiveness here." He meowed, flicking his tail. "I just want you to understand." He lay on the ground, stretching his legs in the sun. "I just hope StarClan will when they pass judgment on me." His eyes shone with a sudden sadness, his gaze lowering to the ground.

"I guess now is the time to make amends." The leader meowed, suddenly looking much more like himself. "I'll answer any question you have. Ask away."

Stormfire pondered hard, wondering what to ask first. Thousands of questions were racing through his head, filling his mind like water filling a leaf. Above all, though, one stood out. Featherheart had said that this whole thing started with his brother, Lionclaw. From Featherheart's description, he sounded like a fierce warrior. Stormfire was curious to learn more about his kin.

"Tell me about my brother, Lionclaw." He meowed.

Tornstar blinked, caught off guard by the request. "I don't even know where to start." He meowed, shaking his head. His eyes looked glazed over, as if he were staring into the past.

"Lionclaw was a very fierce warrior." Tornstar began, trembling a little. "He was ruthless, a legend among the forest. One of the best fighters that ever lived."

"Featherheart said the he killed cats in battle." Stormfire meowed, recalling his old friend's words. "Is that true?"

"Yes, it is." Tornstar answered, his fur fluffing. "He didn't kill all the time, but those who he didn't kill were seriously injured. Lionclaw believed that only fear could keep out invaders, not respect. He thought borders should be marked with blood, the deaths of other Clans being the only thing that keep them at bay. He was wrong." Tornstar unsheathed his claws, inspecting tem as they glinted in the sunlight. "Next question."

"What about the prophecy?" Stormfire inquired, feeling his fur tingle. His whole life had been forged for him, determined by StarClan with a prophecy. He wanted to know about the omen that destroyed his life. Surely StarClan had some motive as to why they made his life this way?

"Prophecy?" Tornstar echoed, confusion in his emerald eyes. "What prophecy?"

Stormfire tilted his head to one side, confused. "You don't know?" he asked, curiosity sprouting inside him. How could Tornstar not know when the rest of the Clan did? Had Featherheart lied about the prophecy?

"You know, the one about the storm?" Stormfire pressed.

Tornstar's eyes lit up suddenly, seemingly realizing what Stormfire fire was talking about. The silver tabby could also see something else in his leader's eyes; guilt.

"Oh, that one…!" Tornstar mewed, his voice trailing away. He nervously kneaded the ground with his paws, avoiding Stormfire's gaze.

"Yeah, about that…" Tornstar went on, his fur fluffing up. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What is it?" Stormfire asked, curious.

"It's fake."


	18. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

* * *

"Fake?" Stormfire choked, feeling sick. He felt dizzy, the need to lie down too much for him. He settled himself in the grass, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat. "You made it up?"

"What else would 'fake' mean?" Tornstar questioned, amused. "Honestly, Stormfire, I thought you were smarter than this." The brown tom licked a paw and drew it over his face. "You didn't think StarClan could come up with such a dimwitted omen, did you?"

Stormfire was speechless. All this time… the hate, the suffering, the _death_. All for nothing?  
Rage bubbled inside the silver tabby, and he felt his fur bristle, lighting on fire. Unsheathing his claws, he dashed toward Tornstar, slamming into him and raking his claws across his face.

"Everything you've ever done to me – all the suffering I've endured, all the pain I've taken – all for nothing?!" He roared, slamming his paw down on Tornstar's neck.

"No!" The leader rasped, trying to pry himself loose of Stormfire's grip. "Not for nothing! Let me go, and I'll explain."

Stormfire hardly heard his leader. Inside, his heart was screaming, begging him to sink his teeth into Tornstar's neck. Stormfire knew better, though. Killing Tornstar wouldn't solve anything. What happened was over and done with; there was nothing that could be done to change it. Right now, the best thing he could do was let Tornstar explain. Releasing his grip, he let Tornstar up, sitting on his haunches and gazing at him with hatred burning in his eyes.

"It wasn't all for nothing…" The brown tom rasped, coughing and wheezing. "Not all for nothing…"

"Why, then?" Stormfire snarled, digging his claws into the ground. His blood was boiling, his flesh singing with fury.

Tornstar paused, waiting to catch his breath before speaking. "It's true that your prophecy was made up," he meowed, "but it was just a cover-up for another omen I was given at the time you were born."

Stormfire sheathed his claws, his anger quickly swallowed by confusion. Another prophecy? What in the name of StarClan was going on?

"What prophecy?" Stormfire asked.

Tornstar was silent for a moment, staring at the ground. After a while, his gaze lifted, carrying an emotion Stormfire never thought he'd see in his leader's gaze.

It was real, genuine _fear_.

"'A Lion's roar will reverberate through the forest and shake it to its roots.'" Tornstar mewed, his voice trembling. "I already knew what it meant the first time I heard it."

Stormfire knew, too. The prophecy was about his brother, Lionclaw. "It's about Lionclaw, isn't it?" he questioned, just to confirm his suspicions.

"Unfortunately, yes." Tornstar croaked. His ears were flat against his head, eyes widened in horror. "He's coming back, and I fear it may spell the end for DarkClan."

"I don't understand how this has anything to do with me." Stormfire meowed. "Why ruin my life because of some prophecy you received?"

"It's far more complicated than that." Tornstar explained, straightening up. He heaved a long sigh. "I believe that of all people, you are the one that can defeat him."

"Me?" Stormfire meowed, surprised. "Why me?" How could he be the one destined to defeat his brother? He'd never even met him before. How was he to know what he was up against?

"Who better to fight him than his own kin?" Tornstar mewed. "Think of it this way," he suggested. "Your whole life has been decided by the actions of your brother – you're being punished for the choices _he _made."

Stormfire had to admit, Tornstar did sound convincing. But he knew his leader was trying to manipulate him, to stir up his hate and get him to do what he wanted – he wasn't falling for it.

"I know what you're doing." Stormfire growled, flattening his ears against his head. "It's not going to work. You can't stir up my hatred for your own profit."

"Of course I can." Tornstar returned, his eyes glowing. "What do you think I've been doing these past nine moons?" He flicked his tail. "Your hatred is your strongest emotion, aside from fear. By manipulating it, I can get you to fight against your brother twice as hard." He turned his green gaze on Stormfire, eyes glittering wistfully. "Is there any better way that you know of?"

Stormfire swallowed his anger, feeling his fur bristle. Despite how ruffled his was, he had to admit that Tornstar's way off things had been pretty effective. He hated his brother twice as much now, and he would fight him with everything he could possibly give.

But he knew of a better way that things could have turned out. "Yes, I do." He growled. "You could have let me live peacefully among my Clanmates, let me have friends and family among others. Hatred isn't as powerful as you think, Tornstar. If I had a reason to fight, something worth fighting for, that would compel me to fight much harder than hatred ever could."

Tornstar stared at Stormfire, his green gaze unblinking. "That's true," he admitted, "but then, you would have things that Lionclaw could use against you, weaknesses he could use to stop you." He curled his tail over his paws, his eyes suddenly carrying a deep sorrow. "I suppose now can you see why I killed Featherheart." He meowed.

"So, that was another one of your dirty tricks to get rid of one of my weaknesses?" Stormfire hissed, unsheathing his claws again. His neck fur was bristling wildly, making him look twice his size. "She was my friend!"

"I know that!" Tornstar mewed desperately.

Stormfire's eyes widened, caught off guard by the vehemence in Tornstar's voice.

"I know what I've done." He growled, his voice molten. "I've done horrid things in my life; things I would give _anything_ to change. I know perfectly well what I've done to you – I regret it greatly. But, now, I'm asking you to apply everything I've taught you into beating Lionclaw. Not for my sake, but for your sake and the forest's."

Stormfire felt his heart pounding, his blood streaming through his body like a raging river. His skin felt hot, and his fur blazed. "I don't have to do _anything_." He growled.

Tornstar tensed. His fur bristled wildly, his ears flattening against his head. His tail was lashing, and his eyes held a fire that looked like it could burn down the whole world. "You think this is a game?!" he shouted, his voice like lava, dripping with all the fury in the world. "Well, it isn't! This is serious; there aren't just lives at stake here; entire _Clans _could be destroyed! You have _no _idea what he's capable of! I've been preparing you for the horror to come with his return – everything I've done was for your own benefit, not mine!"

Tornstar stalked over and brought his face closer and closer until it was no more than a mouse-length from Stormfire's nose. Powerful waves of pure rage was coming off Tornstar's body, mixed with fear and dread.

"You think I'm bad?" The brown leader hissed, clenching his teeth. "Compared to him, I'm a _gift from StarClan_."

Stormfire blinked. Instead of feeling angry, he felt _afraid_. Not of Tornstar, but of Lionclaw. He'd never seen his leader so afraid in his life, Stormfire knew that was the real reason he was so angry. If a cat could strike that much fear into _Tornstar_, then they must be the worst there is.

Stormfire was more than willing to fight now, but there was something he needed to check. This whole thing could just be a scam to get him to do what Tornstar wanted, and then he'd just go back to his old life. Stormfire didn't want that. If he was going to put his life on the line to protect these cats, then they needed to respect him.

"What happens if I do decide to fight?" Stormfire asked, choosing his words carefully. "What about the way my Clanmates treat me?"

Tornstar seemed relaxed, relief flooding his gaze, making his shoulders sag. "If you do this," he mewed, "then it'll all be over. No more hate, fear or pain. You can live the rest of your life however you choose – I promise you that."

Stormfire stared skeptically at Tornstar, narrowing his eyes. The look in the brown leader's gaze told Stormfire he was serious; his promise was genuine.

"Alright," Stormfire meowed. "I'll do it."

Tornstar sighed in relief, his fur lying flat. Backing away, he did something Stormfire never thought any cat would do to him.

He dipped his head.

"Thank you." Tornstar meowed, straightening up. He flicked his ears, his gaze darkening. "Now, I suggest you get ready."

"Ready for what?" Stormfire asked, tilting his head to the side.

"For Lionclaw," Tornstar returned, his tail shaking. "Because now, the _real _suffering is about to begin."

* * *

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD**

* * *

**Boom! Done, over with, out the window. That concludes this story you guys, I really hope you enjoyed it. Lots of passion went into this chapter… **

**The sequel will be coming out, but I shall not tell you when. It's going to be awesome, I can't wait to release it!**

**Right, well… I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Tell me what you think of the ending! What about the twist with Lionclaw coming back? Was it predictable? Did you expect it? Let me know! Try to put spoiler alerts if you comment so people know; I don't want them to accidently ruin it for themselves.**

**Well, I'll see you guys later! With this done, I'll be able to work on my other stories! Until my next update, I will see you guys, when I see you guys…**

**Toxic out!**


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